(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)
Dubai commuters don't have to wait for ages to get a cab. With more passengers booking their rides online , waiting time no longer goes beyond four minutes for most trips, a new report has revealed.
More than 74 per cent of e-booked trips in 2024 had a waiting less than 3.5 minutes, Adel Shakri, director of Planning and Business Development at RTA's Public transport Agency.
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E-hailing, or booking Hala taxis via Careem app, has also helped ease traffic flow in the emirate. It "removes 7,600 vehicles from the roads daily" through the strategic deployment of taxis during peak hours, based on the latest figures from the RTA agency.
Fewer cabs are also roaming roads and streets to get passengers. As residents embrace the emirate's overall e-hail strategy for taxis, most cabs are now dedicated to fulfilling pre-booked requests through smart applications.
"Hala's market share during peak hours rose from 42 per cent in 2023 to 50 per cent in 2024, demonstrating the increasing preference of taxi users in Dubai for e-hail over traditional street-hailing," said Adel Shakri, director of Planning and Business Development at RTA's Public Transport Agency.
“The sector recorded a 16-per-cent growth in the market share of e-hail trips in 2024 compared to 2023," he said.
Driver satisfaction has also improved, Shakri said, "with a daily reduction in driving time by 50 minutes and a four-per-cent decrease in travel distances".
"Over the past two years, the RTA has achieved significant milestones in transforming Dubai's taxi sector through e-hail, supported by a series of strategic initiatives. These efforts have resulted in enhanced service efficiency and higher levels of customer satisfaction," the official said.
Booking rides online is good for the environment, too.
"The transition to e-hail led to a considerable reduction in CO2 emissions, totalling 20,000 tonnes in 2024. This achievement was driven by reducing the average wasted driving distance by 3km per trip for e-hailed rides compared to conventional taxi trips, equating to a saving of five minutes of unnecessary driving per trip," Shakri said.
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