Fancy a 3-wheeler ride in Dubai?
SERVICE ON SIX-MONTH TRIAL AT DUBAI MARINA, DUBAI FINANCIAL CENTRE AND JBR CAN BE BOOKED VIA CAREEM
Residents can now hop on to smart Can-Am Spyder three-wheelers for short rides, or for the last mile from and to Dubai Metro or Tram.
The Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC), a subsidiary of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) unveiled the three-wheelers at the UITP Mena Congress and Exhibition yesterday.
The service can be booked via Careem. During the sixmonth trial phase, it will be available only at Dubai Marina, Dubai Financial Centre and Jumeirah Beach Residence.
“We are launching this as a pilot with Careem and believe this can be a great solution for short rides and last mile,” said Dr Yousuf Al Ali, CEO of DTC.
Designed to accommodate two people, including the driver, the three-wheelers have high safety standards with a seat belt and a helmet.
Dh10 for 10 minutes
The service will cost Dh10 for the first 10 minutes, with Dh1 charged for every additional minute. To be rolled out from next week, the pilot phase will have two vehicles. DTC plans to launch 100 vehicles in the next stage. “We will be studying the response of the commuters to the service. I think it is going to be a great addition to our fleet and we expect it to be particularly popular among the youth and tourists,” said Al Ali.
The DTC also unveiled Range Rover Evoque convertible, which will join Dubai’s luxury taxi fleet. In the initial phase, two convertibles will join the DTC’s fleet. They will be available via the Careem app, or through RTA’s taxi booking system. “We are targeting youth and tourists,” added Al Ali.
The service will be available at a starting rate of Dh8 with Dh2.24 charged per kilometre.
DTC currently has 500 luxury taxis including 50 Tesla electric cars. Al Ali added that 75 more Tesla cars will be joining the taxi fleet from this month.
The Teslas and other limousine taxis are available at the starting rate of Dh25, with a tariff of Dh5 per kilometre.
Dubai has a total of 5,000 luxury taxis operated by private franchises apart from around 10,000 regular taxis.
The third edition of the UITP Mena Congress and Exhibition was inaugurated by Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
The three-day event will feature 70 speakers from 21 countries, while the accompanying exhibition features exhibitors from 17 countries.
RTA chief sees growth
Addressing the inaugural session, Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA, said Dubai is on course to adopt futuristic mobility solutions like Hyperloop, autonomous transport and flying taxis. He added that Dubai will continue to expand its already sprawling public transport network, employing latest technologies and innovation.
Meanwhile, appreciating Dubai’s remarkable progress in developing modern infrastructure and transport solutions, an urban planning expert from Canada said that adopting new technologies will not be enough to make the Dubai smartest city in the world.
In his keynote address, Brent Toderian highlighted the need for Dubai to adopt a multimodal approach. “Dubai has made remarkable progress over the last 10 years in developing infrastructure and mass transit systems and now it is time to build a truly multi-modal city that contributes to the happiness and well-being of its residents,” said Toderian.
Urging the RTA to create more space for pedestrians and biking as a mode of transport, he added: “A city built only for cars will fail. If you design a multi-modal city, it works better for everyone,” he said.