They will operate in addition to Uber and Careem
Five new taxi services have been licensed to operate in Dubai, a top official from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has said. Adel Shakri from the RTA's Public Transport Agency told Arabic daily Emarat Al Youm that the companies will offer ride-hailing services similar to the ones offered by Uber and Careem.
He attributed the reason for licensing as many startups in the taxi transport sector to the booming economy and the influx of tourism in the emirate, which has led to an increase in demand for taxi services.
According to recent statistics the percentage of bookings via the Hala electronic system for taxi services in Dubai has risen from 5% to 33% in the past two years. The five regions in Dubai that has registered the highest percentage of taxi demand are Deira, Business Bay, Al Barsha, Al Raffa, and Jumeirah Village Circle in descending order.
Reports showed that the waiting time for a taxi booked through the electronic reservation system has decreased by up to 70% from 11.3 minutes to 3.3 minutes between 2018 and the end of last year.
Four out of the five new taxi services in Dubai are:
Xx Ride
Founded in 2021, this is a ride-hailing (ridesharing) app dedicated to serving the transportation needs for riders in Dubai. Customers can choose from Select, Luxury, XXXL, Family, and Electric option.
Wow ETS
WOW provides trendy and innovative latest technology platform of Electronic Transport Services in most of the cities of North America, Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia. You can book your ride from your desired pickup location with the WOW App and the company’s drivers or Leaders, as they are called, will drop you at your destination with full safety & security.
Koi
The company’s ground transportation service is available in several countries worldwide, bookable through its portal and API. The ride sharing company’s fleet can be booked through its app and will service the length and breadth of Dubai.
Wikiride
Offering airport transfers, luxury cars and everything in between, Wikiride is one of the latest taxi companies to offer its service in Dubai.
News Source: Khaleej Times
