If you needed to get somewhere in the UAE quickly a decade ago, there were two options: drive, or call a taxi. However, the choice has expanded since.
In 2009, Dubai Metro began operations, allowing daily commuters to skip the Shaikh Zayed Road traffic. Ride-hailing apps Uber and Careem allow commuters to get a lift quicker than ever, while pay-per-minute hire vehicles from Ekar and Udrive let those with licences drive themselves without the hassle of worrying about petrol, maintenance or insurance.
All this begs the question: Why should millennials and post millennials bother with a driving licence in the sharing economy? After all, these generations believe in sharing everything — renting homes instead of buying, and choosing couch-surfing over hotel stays.
The case for a licence…
“In the vertical of mobility options, there are times that driving yourself is a far superior option to being driven,” Vilhelm Hedberg, CEO and Co-founder of Ekar, tells GN Focus. “A clear examples of this is when there is a lack of availability of Uber, Careem and the RTA options. The convenience of having a guaranteed vehicle parked and waiting for you to place your belongings into removes the stress of competing with others for ride-hailing options.
“Most importantly, per-minute car-sharing is a cheaper alternative to Careem and Uber.”
Iulia Teleghin, a Moldovan national who manages a furniture showroom on Shaikh Zayed Road, is firmly in the pro-licence camp, attributing her love for driving to getting an (illegal) early taste. “I started to drive with my brother at the age of 15 in Moldova,” says the 29-year-old. “My first year in Dubai without a licence was really hard.”
She moved here in 2015, when Uber wasn’t as popular. So she relied on the metro and took a taxi to locations off the metro lines. “Because of my Moldovan licence, I only needed to take 20 classes, which I did in one day. I didn’t fail any exam, so I finished everything within two-and-a-half months.”
Previously residing behind Mall of the Emirates in Al Barsha, Teleghin says getting the licence enabled her to move to Palm Jumeirah, from where she usually takes Shaikh Zayed Road to get to work.
Elrayah Omer Ibrahim, COO of Galadari Motor Driving Centre, says there are a few reasons driving oneself beats other options: “It saves time; it saves money when travelling in groups, as well as fostering a sense of togetherness; door-to-door, it’s more convenient [and cheaper] than public transport such as taxis and ride-hailing apps; it’s simple; and it’s enjoyable for many people.”
Ibrahim adds that a UAE driving licence can be swapped for a local one in most countries — though tourists need an international driver’s licence.
…and the case against
Tasneem Karam was raised in the UAE and got her driving licence in Sharjah in 2007. “It wasn’t as tough or expensive as it is now,” says the events marketing professional. “I passed my assessment on the first go, but it took me about four tries on the final test — it was so stressful!”
After commuting between her Sharjah home and Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) office for eight years, Karam moved to an apartment near Deira City Centre but continued driving to work. “The traffic and parking situation in JLT would really irritate me, so I gave the metro a try. Luckily, I don’t need to be outdoors for work at all, so it works out,” Karam says. “Now, I love taking the metro. There’s always a seat available in Gold Class from the two stations, so it’s perfect.”
An Uber spokesperson told GN Focus that using a ride-hailing app allows users to use any time spent stuck in traffic more productively — to catch up on texts and emails or to hang out with friends.
“As we move into more congested areas, and the costs of vehicle ownership go up, less people are going to want to own cars and this increases the reliance on transport and commuter services.”
GN Focus says
The convenient appeal of car- and ride-sharing solutions is undeniable, but the fact remains that learning to drive is an essential life skill. That idyllic home in a French village, for example, can quickly turn into a nightmare if you need to get your partner to a doctor and can’t find a taxi easily.
Plus, road trips make awesome memories.
