More than 27 million taxi journeys were made in Dubai in the first three months of 2023 – up one million from the same period last year.
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority said on Monday that the latest figures underlined the sector's “remarkable growth” over the past five years.
The sharp rise comes amid a population boom in Dubai and a concerted push by authorities to encourage the use of mass transport to help cut congestion and emissions.
The number of taxi rides recorded in the first quarter of the year was the largest since 2019, before the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The RTA said 27.3 million trips were taken from January to the end of March, up from 26 million last year.
The statistics show 19.2 million journeys were made in the same period in 2021, 23.3 million in 2020 and 26.1 million in 2019.
“Dubai's taxi sector has seen a remarkable growth trajectory over the past five years,” said Adel Shakri, Director of Planning and Business Development at the RTA.
“This sector experienced an unprecedented surge, marking its highest growth in recent years, particularly e-hail services, smart rental services, and Hala Taxi service. The analysis of figures and ratios of the sector during the first quarter of 2023 reflects the thriving economy of Dubai, which cemented its standing as a prominent global hub for investment and tourism.”
The RTA regularly hosts recruitment drives for taxi drivers to help meet growing demand.
Hundreds of hopefuls turned out at an open day held at Abu Hail last month.
RTA recruiters hosted walk-in interviews for applicants, and there was no shortage of interest in driving positions with a monthly salary of up to Dh5,000.
Public transport thrives as population grows
Dubai's population crossed 3.5 million in April last year and has grown by another 78,000 since, according to the Dubai Statistics Centre's live population counter.
The year-on-year increase in taxi rides is particularly impressive given that Expo 2020 Dubai – which concluded on March 31 last year – enjoyed a spike in visitors in its final months, many of whom will have used public transport to get to the world's fair.
The Museum of the Future, which opened in February last year, also proved a major attraction during the period.
The public transport sector on the whole continues to grow in popularity.
More than 621 million journeys were made on Dubai public transport in 2022 – an increase of 35 per cent from the previous year.
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority said an average of 1.7 million trips were made each day last year – up from 1.3 million in 2021 and almost double the 948,000 journeys made in 2020, during the height of the pandemic.
Dubai Metro, with 36 per cent of all trips, surpassed taxis on 30 per cent as the most popular mode of transport, ahead of public buses on 25 per cent.
The figures cover taxis, metro and tram services, buses and marine transport, such as water taxis and abras, and shared mobility, such as e-hail, smart car rentals and bus-on-demand services.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General of the authority, said the figures were “a good indicator” of a shift towards mass public transport.
ACC%20T20%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Championship
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GROUP RESULTS
Group A
Results
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Group B
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Zimbabwe tied with Scotland
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Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Pakistan
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
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MWTC info
Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
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PSG's line up
GK: Alphonse Areola (youth academy)
Defence - RB: Dani Alves (free transfer); CB: Marquinhos (€31.4 million); CB: Thiago Silva (€42m); LB: Layvin Kurzawa (€23m)
Midfield - Angel di Maria (€47m); Adrien Rabiot (youth academy); Marco Verratti (€12m)
Forwards - Neymar (€222m); Edinson Cavani (€63m); Kylian Mbappe (initial: loan; to buy: €180m)
Total cost: €440.4m (€620.4m if Mbappe makes permanent move)
