Dubai: Taxis will now take less than 10 seconds to book and 3.5 minutes to arrive after the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced Monday that all booking and dispatch services will be completely migrated to an app starting January 15.
Hala, a joint venture between RTA and Careem, will now handle the process instead of the RTA.
Hala, which is the joint venture between RTA and Careem, enables residents and visitors of Dubai to locate the closest Dubai Taxi at the touch of a button. Customers get a booking confirmation in less than 10 seconds, get a taxi in an average of 3.5 minutes, and benefit from an enhanced experience with an average quality rating of 4.8/5 stars.
The migration is part of RTA’s goal to revamp taxi services in Dubai and make the service more accessible to all. Hala has been able to convert a significant number of customers to e-hailing since its launch in 29 August 2019, with over two million trips booked.
Ahmad Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said, “This step marks a paradigm shift of Dubai Taxi booking process from the call centre to Hala. It is part of the RTA’s strategic drive to support Dubai Government’s Smart City initiative. This transition comes after a landmark one-millionth booking within days after the official launch of Hala service on August 29."
Hala offers customers a smarter way to get around Dubai by knowing their fare upfront, driver details, tracking their route, and paying through cash or credit card. Customers can also enjoy the advantage of not having a price surge during peak hours, along with the full Careem app benefits, including Careem loyalty program Rewards.
“The step contributes to RTA’s objective of revamping taxi services in Dubai making the service more accessible through e-hailing, and at the same time advancing the integration of public transit means. Among the additional benefits that customers will enjoy from this innovative way of booking a Dubai taxi, is the ability to raise any questions or concerns directly via the Careem in-app chat. Safety and lost and found issues will continue to be handled by RTA’s Call Centre (8009090). Customers will also be able to book taxis from all over Dubai with a shorter estimated time of arrival,” he added.
Clemence Dutertre, CEO of Hala, said: “Our mission is to offer the best experience to customers when booking a ride in Dubai. The migration of the Dubai Taxi booking process to Hala will continue to ensure the most efficient experience for customers, connecting users to the closest Dubai Taxi at the touch of a button. Hala customers will get a booking confirmation in less than 10 seconds, get a taxi in an average of 3.5 minutes, and benefit from an enhanced experience with an average quality rating of 4.8/5 stars. Hala offers its customers a smarter way to get around Dubai by knowing their fare upfront, driver details, tracking their route, and paying through cash or credit card.”
There is no additional charge for using the new service.
