Tag: taxi

Categories
-Top News Dubai UAE News

Dubai Taxis to go fully eco-friendly by 2027

This significant accomplishment aligns with the overarching goal of optimising energy usage, creating a sustainable environment, and positioning Dubai as a leader in promoting green transportation…reports Asian Lite News

The Board of Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has endorsed a plan to transform taxis in Dubai (Dubai Taxi and franchise company taxis) into becoming fully environmentally friendly (hybrid, electric and hydrogen-powered) by 2027.

The move meets the requirements of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, the Green Economy drive, and the Dubai Government’s strategic directions toward comprehensive environmental sustainability.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said, “The plan to transform taxis into environmentally-friendly vehicles translates the directives Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to optimise energy usage and promote environmental sustainability in the UAE. RTA has taken decisive action toward creating a safe, clean, and sustainable environment that befits Dubai’s reputation. This initiative supports the Dubai Government’s efforts to introduce green vehicles and promote a cleaner environment.”

RTA has made remarkable progress in this regard, successfully transforming 72 percent of the taxis in Dubai into environmentally friendly vehicles, comprising a total of 8,221 hybrid vehicles.

This significant accomplishment aligns with the overarching goal of optimising energy usage, creating a sustainable environment, and positioning Dubai as a leader in promoting green transportation.

“The 5-year plan (2023-2027) aims to switch the entire taxi fleet into fully environmentally-friendly (hybrid, electric and hydrogen-powered) within five years at a rate of 10 percent per annum to achieve the targeted 100 precent by 2027. The plan is aligned with RTA’s roadmap for transforming public transport means into emission-free by 2050,” Al Tayer explained.

“The results of experiments on eco-friendly vehicles, which RTA started trialling in 2008, confirmed the environmental benefits of reducing carbon emissions, fuel consumption, and maintenance costs, as well as decreasing noise levels. Hybrid vehicles also have a longer lifespan compared to regular vehicles and cost less in the long run. They are characterised by lower purchase prices, maintenance fees, fuel expenses, insurance premiums, and other associated costs that potentially could be as low as 50 percent of regular vehicles,” he further added.

Dubai’s infrastructure is key in promoting the use of eco-friendly vehicles and increasing their demand. The fast pace of technology, coupled with the reduction in electric vehicle charging time from 8 hours to less than 1.5 hours, indicates that the charging time will continue to shorten in the future given the wide spread of hydrogen refilling stations as an environmentally friendly alternative.

Dubai’s initial plan to transform 50 percent of its taxi fleet into eco-friendly has produced a remarkable reduction in carbon emissions by as much as 420,000 tonnes annually, equivalent to 70,000 tonnes per year. This has stimulated local automotive companies to roll out a range of hybrid vehicles tailored for the Gulf region

RTA was a pioneer in the region when launching the trial of hybrid vehicles powered by fuel and electricity for its Dubai Taxi fleet in 2008. It marked the start of RTA’s dedicated efforts to transform the infrastructure of public transport networks to make them environmentally friendly.

The Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) boasts the largest fleet of eco-friendly vehicles with hybrid vehicles accounting for over 34 percent of the taxis fleet in Dubai.

ALSO READ-Dubai outpaces world in tourism rebound

Categories
Lite Blogs

Muslim sisters run women taxi service in Hyderabad

The idea only came into existence following an unpleasant auto rickshaw experience, aimed at ensuring women feel safe and secure during their journey…writes Mohammad Modassir Ashrafi (The Author is Research Scholar at Jamia Millia Islamia)

Hyderabad is a modern but conservative city, like most Indian cities. However, youths in the city are breaking social barriers to set new standards. One of such youths is Nikhat Zareen, the young boxer, who has beaten poverty and patriarchy to emerge as a gold medallist in the coveted Commonwealth Games. Taking this courage to a step ahead are siblings Uzma Khatoon and Zainab Khatoon who have introduced bike taxis, pleasingly named Dovely run by women riders to carry women from corner to another in the city.

Sisters due has also launched the Dovely app to professionally run their taxi service. The Dovely app provides a bike taxi service exclusively run by and for women. According to the Khatoon sisters, the purpose of their entrepreneurship is to address the safety of women while travelling, especially the women patients. Plus, they want to make women independent while deciding their professions.

Khatoon sisters have roped in two other youths to their team. The four-person run application comprises founder Zainab who is a final year B. Pharmacy student, Uzma, a final year B.com Computers student, and Masarrath Fatima and Obaidulla Khan who are final year B. Tech students.

Speaking to a Hyderabad-based portal, the founder and CEO of Dovely, Zainab Khatoon said, “The idea to create Dovely first struck me and originated from a conversation between me and my mom, who wanted to visit my granny and was looking for cost-effective and safe rides.”

The idea only came into existence following an unpleasant auto rickshaw experience, aimed at ensuring women feel safe and secure during their journey.

“The idea struck me once again while I was travelling with my friend in an autorickshaw when the driver looked at us from the rear view mirror making me feel uncomfortable,” Zainab added.

“We sat down with our parents to discuss the name of the company. After going through about 400 names, our father came up with the name Dovely,” said Chief Operating Officer and co-founder Uzma.

“Apart from providing rides for women, the app also allows women to connect with us as Dovely partners. To access information regarding the platform one may visit the Dovely website,” Zainab said.

Till now, the Dovely has completed more than 100 rides to various locations in Hyderabad. More than 20 riders have registered themselves and provided their services through Dovely.

She added that since the service is in its initial stages, all the earnings from the rides are being kept by the riders themselves. “We are not getting any commission,” she said.

With regards to the credibility of the riders, Zainab said, “I personally handle the onboarding process for Dovely. As part of the hiring process we ourselves take long distance rides with the candidates to test their driving skills.”

Shedding light on the steps taken to ensure the safety of the riders and passengers, Uzma said, “One of us is constantly checking on the live location from the beginning to the end of the ride, and the riders are only supposed to switch off the live location after completing the ride.”

Nahera Lohreen, one of the bike riders who worked with Dovely, told a local daily, “The first ride was a bit challenging since I was hesitant as to how it would go, but after a while, I felt comfortable and it has been a great experience.”

Nahera is the first bike rider to be roped in by Dovely.

Zareena Begum, another bike rider with the firm, said, “It is a great opportunity since it gives us financial independence and I was looking forward to such an opportunity. It’s been thrilling to ride my bike as a professional rider and take somebody to a destination safely and earn money for it.”

Speaking of future plans, Zainab said, “As of now we are focusing on a minimum of 10 rides per day, we will gradually expand into three and four-wheeler markets.”

She added that her sister and other team members have been able to make girls ride their scooties and bikes as professional taxi drivers in conservative Hyderabad and it’s been more satisfying than earning money.

ALSO READ-China uses Muslim holiday for propaganda

Categories
-Top News Dubai

Dubai to begin trial of driverless taxis

The gathering discussed the technical details relating to the operation of such vehicles along with the key enablers that include specifications, standards and the required infrastructure…reports Asian Lite News

Roads and Transport Authority announced the start of trials and preparations of digital maps needed for Cruise autonomous vehicles to offer taxi and e-Hail services in Dubai by the end of this year, in preparation of 2023 actual service launch.

Dubai will be the first city outside the USA to operate such vehicles.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA has made the announcement during a meeting with a delegation of the American Cruise Company headed by Anthony Gregory, Vice-President of Market Development, Cruise, USA.

The meeting discussed the latest developments relating to the agreement signed between the two parties for operating Cruise autonomous vehicles in providing taxi and e-Hail services. Discussions also covered the supply of vehicles, operations, the latest developments of operating autonomous vehicles in San Francisco State, and the production of Cruise Origin autonomous vehicle, as Dubai will be the global platform for launching the operation of this vehicle.

 “This initiative enhances Dubai’s pioneering role in self-driving transport. It is an important step towards realising Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy aimed to transform 25% of total mobility journeys in Dubai into journeys on various self-driving transport modes by 2030,” said Al Tayer.

“Dubai will be the first global platform for launching Cruise Origin Cars . It is a vehicle dedicated to shared driverless transport. In 2023, a limited number of Cruise autonomous vehicles will be deployed with a plan to increase the number of deployed vehicles gradually to reach 4000 vehicles by 2030.

“The operation of autonomous vehicles contributes to the integration of transport systems by easing the mobility of public transport riders and helping them reach their final destinations. It fits well with RTA’s first and last-mile strategy approved last year relating to the first and last sectors of journeys from and to the nearest public transport points. It consists of two sections: groups and individuals,” explained Al Tayer.

Field Visits

The delegation of Cruise visited some areas in Dubai to study the best locations for launching the first-of-its-kind service based on some technical standards highlighted by the preparedness of the infrastructure and the anticipated demand. The delegation signed the service operational framework and detailed provisions agreed to with RTA.

To ensure the operation of the service next year, RTA held a broad kick-off meeting that brought together the delegation of Cruise with officials from the Dubai Police General HQ, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, and the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology. The gathering discussed the technical details relating to the operation of such vehicles along with the key enablers that include specifications, standards and the required infrastructure.

ALSO READ–India bans 54 Chinese apps over national security threat