Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Uber announced on Monday the trial of an economy offering — uberX — that will provide riders in Dubai with access to safe and affordable rides.

The announcement comes following a partnership agreement between Uber and the RTA in January to study new mobility options to support Dubai Plan 2021.

Based on a joint study between the two sides, the pilot uberX will be rolled out gradually over a trial period of three months starting from April 17. It starts with a limited number of vehicles, and expanding to a wider pool of riders and driver-partners.

UberX will be priced lower than the current UberSelect, whilst still offering the same expected levels of safety, reliability, and convenience. This economic product will help lay the foundations to explore the development of advanced products like UberPool and UberElevate, paving the way for a fully integrated, multi-modal transport network that smart cities of the future are building.

After finishing the trial period, the two sides will study its results and decide to either carry on, develop or discontinue.

“The announcement of this pilot service is a very encouraging news for Dubai. Smart mobility is a key pillar of every smart city and the provision of economy solutions is an integral element of the smart mobility,” Abdulla Yousef Al Ali, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said in a statement.

He said the pilot will offer an affordable option for residents to move around Dubai, and encourage a larger pool of people to reconsider car ownership, and instead opt for more convenient and efficient transport solutions.

The announcement of this pilot follows the successful roll-out of uberX in cities across the Middle East, including Riyadh, Cairo, and Beirut, where it has complemented other Uber products, and provided people with a convenient and easy way to travel safely and affordably.

“We are very excited about this partnership. The launch promotes our belief that increased access to economic and reliable modes of transport will provide a viable alternative to individual car ownership, helping to tackle congestion and pollution, whilst complementing the existing public transport infrastructure in Dubai,” said Chris Free, general manager, Uber UAE.

UberX pricing details

Base fare: Dh5

Per kilometre: Dh1.37

Per minute: Dh0.4