UAE residents and tourists will soon have a new option for ride-hailing services as Dubai Taxi Company (DTC) has signed an agreement with European mobility app Bolt at Gitex Global on Tuesday.
Mansoor Rahma Alfalasi, CEO of DTC, highlighted that this partnership is with one of the largest e-hailing platforms globally, operating in over 500 cities and serving 200 million customers. "We will leverage their extensive customer database. As an asset provider, we have partnered with one of the most significant technology apps worldwide. This is why we have signed an agreement with Bolt to operate on their platform. We aim to launch the service with limousine cars by the end of the year and later expand to other taxi services. Subsequently, we plan to explore opportunities beyond Dubai, including car rentals and e-scooters," Alfalasi told Khaleej Times at Gitex Global.
He further mentioned that DTC will conduct marketing campaigns to attract users from other platforms. "Unlike other ride-hailing platforms, DTC owns assets. We have 6,000 taxi and limousine cars. When we transition to the delivery sector, we will have 2,000 bikes. This will help us attract users to our platform," he explained.
Currently, Careem and Uber are the primary ride-hailing services available in the UAE. "Given that DTC operates half of the taxi fleet in Dubai, this will significantly reduce access time to customers. This will draw people to our platform," Alfalasi noted.
Alfalasi also mentioned that Dubai Taxi will target tourists using Bolt's extensive user database. "When tourists arrive in Dubai and activate their mobile devices, they will receive a popup message from Bolt indicating their presence in Dubai. Additionally, we are the sole operator at Dubai International Airport, which is advantageous for us," he added.
Regarding self-driving taxis, Alfalasi stated that they are exploring this option and are in discussions with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) for necessary regulations. "The future lies in autonomous taxis, and we are exploring this in the coming years. However, it requires time and regulations to ensure safety for users," he said.
Markus Villig, founder and CEO of Bolt, commented, "Under this deal, we are bringing our technology and global expertise, while DTC will provide their vehicles, having exclusive access to key locations. Together, with our technology and their local transport skills, we can create the best solution for everyone in Dubai." Villig also mentioned that the company aims to expand its services in the region.
Bolt operates various services across Europe, including car rental, bike sharing, electric bikes, and grocery delivery. Villig noted that Bolt is successfully competing with peers like Uber in multiple markets.
