Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is set to move the hailing of taxis by the street to e-hailing.
Over the course of the next few years, the RTA is aiming for 80% of taxis journeys to booked through e-hailing, currently available through the Careem app.
The decision is in light of 30% of taxi trips in Dubai made through Hala taxis on Careem in 2022.
Through online services, booking a taxi is all the more efficient and convenient, as it reduces carbon emissions, reduces mileage, makes finding the location easier and reduces waiting time for taxis.
The services provide in-app payment options, trip sharing and the details of the vehicles, making the process easier for the passenger and driver.
The plan will also assign a dedicated fleet of taxis catering to the e-services, as well as will have specific zones where the taxis and e-hailing vehicles will be available for easier access.
The Careem app is currently available on iOS and Play Store, where on registering, individuals can book a vehicle of their choice, with the driver picking the user up from the assigned spot.