Driving home a message

14 Emiratis sign up with Careem to showcase open-minded society

When Abdullah Al Ameri went to pick up his first customer, he was dressed in a kandoora and the traditional Emirati headdress, and seated behind the wheel of a Nissan Patrol.

“It was an Afghan family, and they couldn’t believe I was their captain. Incidentally, it was also their first trip through Careem, and I can say we all learnt a bit more about each other’s countries during the drive from Reem Island to Sharjah,” said Al Ameri.

He is one of 14 young Emirati men who are now licensed to offer rides to commuters in Abu Dhabi as ‘captains’ for the UAE-based ride-sharing service Careem.

They are part of an initiative by the company to include Emirati drivers in its operations.

For commuters, the major draw is that they can obtain a luxury ride at rates similar to public taxis in the emirate, including a minimum trip fare of Dh12.

“In order to offer more visibility to this initiative, we have introduced a new car type called Go Emirati. Users who opt for this type will be assigned an Emirati captain,” said Geed Al Makkaoui, general manager at Careem UAE, at a press conference yesterday.

Eight of the Emirati drivers have already taken to the roads through Careem since February 7, and between them they drive Nissan Patrols, Range Rovers and Cadillac Escalades.

“This is a major step towards supporting the transport sector in Abu Dhabi while offering new job opportunities for Emiratis, who will now benefit from earning an income and serving their community at the same time. Captains also have a big responsibility to represent our society, and we are proud of them,” said Mohammad Al Qamzi, general manager at the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport’s Integrated Transport Centre (ITC).