Taxi passengers in Dubai to switch to online booking

The practice of stopping taxi cars on the streets may become a thing of the past in Dubai. For instance, the Emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority aims to move the taxi-calling service online. According to the authority’s plans, 80% of all bookings should be made through the Hala service.

In 2022, a third of all taxi services were booked online. The move to online taxi booking services should reduce waiting times to less than three and a half minutes. In addition, taxis will travel less frequently around the city in search of passengers and thereby reduce fuel costs.

Last year, 11,662 taxi vehicles made 105 million trips in Dubai. The Authority plans to create special areas for the online hailing service, as well as provide additional parking spaces for them. Passengers have already noticed that catching a taxi on the street is becoming increasingly difficult.

Dubai has previously tested a new automated system that will make life much easier for city taxi users. Equipped with artificial intelligence technology, Smart Direction identifies areas of the city with the highest demand for transport services and directs more cars to them.

As a result, passenger waiting times for taxis should be reduced, as well as fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance costs. In turn, the number of trips per vehicle should increase, and fleet efficiency should improve.

In Dubai, parents of school children can pre-book taxi services for their children – for the journey to and from school. For instance, they can make online bookings for a single trip, as well as for an entire week or a month.

The department believes the service will make life much easier for families of schoolchildren living in areas where school buses do not operate. Taxis can be booked through the Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) app and the “In Safe Hands” service must be selected.

Source: The National

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