Dubai: Commuters can now hop on to a smart three-wheelers Can-Am Spyder for short rides or for the last mile from and to Dubai Metro or Tram.
The Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC), a subsidiary of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) unveiled the three-wheelers on Monday at the UITP Mena Congress and Exhibition.
The service can be booked via Careem and during the trial phase of six months it will be available only at Dubai Marina, Dubai Financial Centre as well as Jumeirah Beach Residence. “We are launching this as a pilot with Careem and believe this can be a great solution for short rides and last mile,” said Dr Yousuf Al Ali, CEO of DTC, while speaking to Gulf News after the unveiling of the vehicles.
Designed to accommodate two people, including the driver, the three-wheelers have high safety standards with a seat belt and a helmet.
Reasonably priced to attract short-distance commuters, the service will cost Dh10 for the first 10 minutes, with Dh1 charged for every additional minute.
To be rolled out from next week, the pilot phase will see two vehicles operating and in the next stage DTC plans to launch 100 vehicles.
“We will be studying the response of the commuters to the service. I think it is going to be a great addition to our fleet and we expect it to be particularly popular among the youth and tourists,” said Al Ali.
fare for three-wheeler ride for first 10 minutes, with Dh1 charged for every additional minute
On Monday, the DTC also unveiled Range Rover Evoque convertible, which will join Dubai’s luxury taxi fleet.
In the initial phase two Evoque convertibles will be joining the DTC’s fleet, to be available via the Careem app or through RTA’s taxing booking system.
“We have different types of limousines or luxury taxis catering to different segment of the market. With this one we are targeting the youth and tourists who would like to experience this service,” added Al Ali.
starting fare for the Evoque convertible service, with Dh2.24 charged per kilometre
The convertibles will be available at a starting rate of Dh8 with Dh2.24 charged per kilometre.
DTC currently has 500 luxury taxis including 50 Tesla electric cars.
Al Ali added that 75 more Tesla cars will be joining the taxi fleet from this month.
The Teslas and other limousine taxis are available at the starting rate of Dh25, with a tariff of Dh5 per kilometre.
Dubai has a total of 5,000 luxury taxis operated by private franchises apart from around 10,000 regular taxis.
Three-day event
The third edition of the UITP Mena Congress and Exhibition was inaugurated by Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
The three-day event will see 70 speakers from 21 countries addressing various sessions, while the accompanying exhibition features exhibitors from 17 countries.
Addressing the inaugural session, Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA said Dubai is on course to adopt futuristic mobility solutions like Hyperloop, autonomous transport and flying taxis.
He added that Dubai will continue to expand its already sprawling public transport network, employing latest technologies and innovation.
Meanwhile, appreciating Dubai’s remarkable progress in developing modern infrastructure and transport solutions, Brent Toderian, during his keynote address said that adopting impressive new technologies will not be enough to make the Dubai smartest city in the world.
A global thought leader and urban planning expert from Canada, Toderian highlighted the need for Dubai to adopt a multi-modal approach to create truly happy streets.
“Dubai has made a remarkable progress over the last 10 years in developing infrastructure and mass transit system and now it is time to build a truly multi-modal city that contributes to the happiness and well-being of its residents,” said Toderian.
Urging the RTA to create more space for pedestrians and biking as a mode of transport, he added: “To become a city of the people, we need to rethink cars. Building bigger roads actually makes traffic worse. A city built only for cars will fail. If you design a multi-modal city, it works better for everyone.”
