Phone bookings for taxis show marked increase, RTA says

Dubai: The number of taxis being booked over the phone increased by almost 16 per cent in 2011, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has said.

In 2011, the number of taxis booked through the booking and despatch centre at RTA's Public Transport Agency increased to 5,080,903, compared to 4,393,826 in 2010.

The total number of calls also increased by 20.9 per cent, going up to 7,256,236 calls in 2011, compared to the number of calls in 2010.

The centre employs 95 people to serve customers 24-hours a day. Adel Shakiri, director of transportation systems, at the Public Transport Agency, attributed the growing demand for taxis across Dubai to the sustained improvement in customer services.

The total number of taxis in Dubai is currently 7,907.