Dubai Taxi Eyes Expansion Across Emirates
Dubai Taxi Plans Expansion to Other Emirates
The Dubai Taxi Company (DTC), which became a publicly traded company in 2023, is preparing ambitious plans for the future. The company aims to expand not only in the ride-hailing platforms but also by operating taxis and limousines in other regions of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Currently, DTC operates taxis and limousines exclusively in Dubai, but the company's leaders see increasing market share in other emirates as an important goal.
Expansion Opportunities
The CEO of DTC emphasized that the company is constantly working on exploring new markets. "Currently, we only operate taxis and limousines in Dubai, but we are exploring the next steps to establish our fleet in other emirates," said Alfalasi. DTC already has a significant presence in the UAE with more than 9,000 vehicles, including 6,000 taxis and 17,500 drivers working in four main business sectors: taxis, VIP limousines, buses, and courier services.
A crucial step in the expansion was the partnership DTC formed with the global ride-hailing platform Bolt in December 2023. This partnership primarily focuses on limousine services, but taxi services may also be introduced on the platform as early as the first quarter of this year.
Bolt's Role in Expansion
Bolt, which Alfalasi referred to as the "world's largest ride-hailing app," has more than 200 million active users and is present in over 600 cities across 50 countries. "If Bolt intends to expand within the UAE and beyond, and wants us to be their partner, we are open to it," he added. According to the CEO, the expansion includes not just traditional taxi services, but also other business sectors, such as micromobility solutions (e.g., e-scooter and e-rentals), food and grocery delivery, and short-term car rentals.
Presence in Other Emirates
DTC is already present in Abu Dhabi, where it operates courier bicycles in partnership with Talabat. It also operates school buses in Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman. These initiatives demonstrate that the company is serious about regional expansion and is continuously seeking new opportunities to expand its services.
"When we are ready to announce the expansion of taxi services to other emirates, we will make it public," he emphasized. This openness and intention to expand indicate that DTC aims to take a leading role in the transportation services market not only in Dubai but throughout the entire UAE.
The Future of Autonomous Taxis in Dubai
Beyond expansion plans, the CEO of DTC also spoke about Dubai's goal of introducing autonomous taxis to the city's streets by 2026. Fully self-driving taxis appeared in Jumeirah 1 as early as September 2023, following the completion of mapping work. The full deployment of driverless taxis and e-hail services would make Dubai the first city in the world, outside the US, to have commercially operating Cruise autonomous vehicles.
Summary
The Dubai Taxi Company is plotting ambitious future plans. They aim to expand their services not just in Dubai, but across the entire United Arab Emirates, and have already formed strategic partnerships to do so. Their collaboration with Bolt and the introduction of micromobility solutions show that the company is not stopping at traditional taxi services but aims to define the future of commuting with innovative solutions. Additionally, the introduction of autonomous taxis marks the beginning of a new era in which Dubai once again aims to lead in technological development.
