Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Uber have announced the trial of the lower cost uberX service offering.
The announcement comes following a partnership agreement between Uber and the RTA in January to study new mobility options to support Dubai Plan 2021.
The announcement of the pilot follows the successful rollout of uberX in Riyadh, Cairo, and Beirut.
Based on a joint study between the two organisations, the pilot uberX will be rolled out gradually over a trial period of three months, starting from today.
It is starting with a limited number of vehicles, and expanding to a wider pool of riders and driver-partners.
uberX will be priced lower than the current UberSELECT, whilst still offering the same expected levels of safety, reliability, and convenience.
After finishing the trial period, the two sides will study results and decide to either carry on, develop or discontinue the service.
“The announcement of this pilot service is very encouraging news for Dubai,” Abdulla Yousef Al Ali, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said. “Smart mobility is a key pillar of every smart city and the provision of economy solutions is an integral element of the smart mobility. The pilot will offer an affordable option for residents to move around Dubai, and encourage a larger pool of people to reconsider car ownership, and instead opt for more convenient and efficient transport solutions, which we believe will translate to a happier city.
“Through this initiative, we aim to expand and enhance the integration with public transport modes including metro, tram, public buses and marine transport means in Dubai based on the First and Last miles.”
“We are very excited about this partnership with the RTA, and to bring uberX to Dubai, a city leading the way in smart technologies,” said Chris Free, general manager, Uber UAE said. “This launch promotes our belief that increased access to economic and reliable modes of transport will provide a viable alternative to individual car ownership, helping to tackle congestion and pollution, whilst complementing the existing public transit infrastructure in Dubai.”
