UAE | Traffic and Transport

Dubai taxis to be exempt from paying Salik road toll

Taxi passengers in Dubai will no longer have to pay the Salik road toll, it has been announced.

  • By Sunita Menon, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 11:54 November 23, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Taxi passengers in Dubai will no longer have to pay the Salik road toll, it has been announced.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive

Dubai: Passengers travelling in Dubai registered taxis will be exempt from paying the Salik road toll starting December 2, the Chief Executive Officer of the RTA's Public Transport Agency announced on Sunday.

The move coincides with the UAE's 37th National Day. The idea behind the exemption is to cut fuel consumption as many taxi drivers have taken to using lengthy alternative routes to avoid paying the toll.

It also aims to give a positive image of the emirate to tourists. Currently passengers have to pay an extra Dh4 toll fee in addition to their normal journey fare.

Eisa Abdul Rahman Al Dossari, CEO of the RTA's Public Transport Agency said: "Neither the taxi driver nor the passenger will pay the toll."

Another initiative launched by the Agency last month has been that of District Taxis, which are deployed in areas where taxis are in short supply.

Abdul Aziz Malek, CEO of the Dubai Taxi Agency said the Agency had conducted comprehensive field studies covering various parts of Dubai to identify areas which had a pressing need for taxis.

He said about 200 Dubai Taxi Agency vehicles had been deployed at a number of areas in the emirate.

"This initiative was launched after we received complaints from the public that taxis were not waiting to pick up passengers in certain areas.

"As a five- month pilot project on October 21 we inducted 30 taxis to provide this service from Satwa to Abu Hail to the south of Garhoud. The pilot project will run for five months and the number of District Taxis will be increased to 200," said Malek.

These taxis cannot be booked and normal fares are applied. They can be hired from designated areas within a particular district, he said.

He said since the District Taxi pilot project had been launched about 16,000 trips have been made.

"In a day about 20 trips are made by a taxi. The District Taxis are taken out of the existing Dubai Taxi fleet. In order to tackle any taxi shortage we plan to inject 1,500 new taxis in 2009," said Malek.

In August this year the RTA also launched the taxi rank service whereby designated parking lots are allocated for taxis in various parts of the emirate.

No charge: Emergency vehicles

Categories exempt from paying the toll:

  • Police vehicles
  • Fire engines
  • School buses
  • Vehicles carrying children with special needs
  • Dubai taxis (from December 2)


Your comments

I was overjoyed when I saw your report. Just to be on the safe side I called Dubai Taxi and they say passengers STILL have to pay Salik. Kindly clarify.
From Jose De Souza
Dubai
UAE
Posted: November 23, 2008, 13:13

A very good move by the RTA. Keep it up!!
Rajkumar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 23, 2008, 13:08

This is best news in the midst of a recession
Vinita Praveen
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 23, 2008, 13:07

It's a good move for passengers but it will be much appreciated if they keep Salik free for motorists on weekends because the floating bridge is heavily conjested
Erick Joseph Bastian
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 23, 2008, 13:07

Great news and an excellent initiative. Finally some relief for the long suffering citizens who have been reeling under the continuous rise in rents and prices of all commodities.
JB
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 23, 2008, 12:50

This is excellent news for the taxi passengers in Dubai. Since the Salik tolls were increasing, it was really a big burden for the passengers. We are very happy with RTA's decision and this move really improves the taxi services.
From Anvar Haris
Dubai
UAE
Posted: November 23, 2008, 12:50

This is good news. At least the hassle of arguing with the taxi driver for being charged for a return trip toll gate will end with this. For example while travelling from Dubai to Sharjah (1 Way) the taxi drivers charge 2 way.
From Sanjeev VJ
Dubai
UAE
Posted: November 23, 2008, 12:39

What should the passenger do if the taxi driver argues on it, because most taxi drivers never listen to the passenger?
Rehan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 23, 2008, 12:31

Good move! We are expecting more from the authority.
AliAkbar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: November 23, 2008, 12:28

Good to hear that. But does this apply to passsengers who come from Sharjah in Sharjah taxis?
Thasimmahe
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: November 23, 2008, 12:23

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