Dubai RTA launches e-hail taxi in partnership with Careem

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced an “e-hail” taxi joint venture with Careem Networks recently at a press conference held under the patronage of His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer; Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA; Mudassir Sheikha, Co- founder and CEO, Careem, along with other senior officials and CEOs from the RTA and senior executives of Careem.
HE Al Tayer stated that this partnership was the first in the world between a government transport authority and the private sector. “This initiative stems from RTA’s keenness to implement the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, the UAE and Ruler, Dubai, to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world. It also aims to bring happiness to people, deliver classy services to tourists and enrich customer’s experience. This partnership is the first-of-its-kind worldwide between a government transport authority and a private entity specialised in taxi e-hail business.
“Through this new company, the RTA intends to leverage the taxi sector in Dubai. It involves raising the efficiency of taxis in Dubai through enhanced accessibility of vehicles and their online booking and reducing the expected waiting time for the vehicle. It also entails a host of advantages to clients such as making a direct online payment via the app, charting the most suitable journey route, sharing the ride with others, displaying details of the vehicle and driver, in addition to an option for providing the service with a chauffeur. Five of the big e-hail taxi companies operating in the global market submitted technical and financial proposals but Careem was selected as it caters to the provision of the e-hail technology and the management of bookings and drivers through its existing app which is flexible and user-friendly. The e-hail of about 10,843 taxis will be exclusively run for a limited period by the new company; the name and logo of which will be announced in future. The new company will start passenger service in April 2019 and the online booking market of about 6,450 limousines will be open for companies operating in the sector without any changes.”
Mudassir Sheikha, Co –founder and Managing Director, Careem welcomed the partnership and cooperation with the RTA and said, “Careem’s journey to simplify and improve the lives of people started in Dubai as it is Careem’s home, its source of inspiration. Over the last six years, the technology that we have developed in Dubai has delivered hundreds of millions of rides and transformed the way people move around in 120 cities of our region. Entering into public–private partnership with the RTA will allow us to use that technology to make Dubai’s sophisticated transportation infrastructure even more accessible and convenient. By combining our technology capability with RTA’s vast industry knowledge, we will build a platform that delivers broader choice, optimum customer experience and reliable, safe transportation for everyone.”