Page 141 - SALIK PR REPORT MAY 2024

5/10/24, 9:12 AM Dubai traffic: why your journey in Dubai is taking longer | Time Out Dubai
As part of the service, driving licences and vehicle registration cards can be delivered in two hours
within Dubai and on the same day to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

Plus, golden visa holders who would not normally be eligible for instant driving licences, now are. A
new rule was issued whereby golden visa holders are no longer required to undergo lessons to secure
a driving licence.

They just need to submit their valid driving licence from their home country and pass the knowledge
and road tests to acquire a driver’s licence in Dubai.

Between January and June 2023 there has been a 52 percent year-on-year increase in golden
visas issued in the UAE, so this too could have had an impact.

These new initiatives all make driving in Dubai more accessible for expats. Easier processes = higher
uptake. The result? More traffic in Dubai.

More taxis on the roads

Careem and its Hala taxi service is helping residents and tourists by increasing the number of its cars
on the road. In 2023, there were 4,700 Hala taxis in the city.

Antonio Al Asmar, General Manager for Careem in the UAE, commented: “Demand for Careem rides
continues to grow as the population of Dubai increases and as more tourists choose to visit the city as
a holiday destination.

“We’re pleased to enable residents and tourists to move across the city with ease, and continue to do
everything we can to ensure that we provide both customers and captains with a swift and
reliable service.”

There’s also improvements to the taxi service from Dubai International Airport with 350 additional taxis
added to the fleet in February of 2024.

To help people exit the airport more quickly, there’s a ‘pin and queue’ system. You request a vehicle on
your phone, receive a pin number, and join a queue to meet a driver at one of the pick-up zones
(which are signposted).

Expanding Dubai Metro

Dubai’s RTA also wants to get work started on a new Metro line. The authority has issued a notice
seeking expressions of interest from contractors for the new design and building of an entirely new
line, which will be the Dubai Metro Blue Line.

The Blue line will connect the existing Red and Green lines and be 30 kilometres in length.

https://www.timeoutdubai.com/news/dubai-traffic 4/5