Dubai Taxi revenues cross Dh1bn

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), revealed that the total revenues of the Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) in 2011 clocked Dh1.058 billion of which Dh979 million were operational revenues, Dh79 million were non-operational revenues; which shows a 22 per cent hike when compared with 2010 results where revenues amounted to Dh864.341 million.

Expenditure of the DTC amounted to Dh745 million in 2011 whereas expenses in 2010 were about Dh597.497 million.

"Total profits earned by the DTC soared from Dh114.695 million in 2010 to Dh146 million in 2011 reflecting a 28 per cent increase following the deduction of the franchise fees paid by the DTC to Public Transport Agency; which cover the fees of number plates as well as booking and dispatch amounting to Dh167.025 million. Accordingly, the operational efficiency of the DTC grew from 93 per cent in 2010 to 96 per cent in 2011," stated Al Tayer.

During a visit to DTC, accompanied by Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla, RTA Board Member, where he met with the CEO, Directors and Managers of the DTC, Al Tayer expressed his delight with the results of DTC operational performance indicators where the number of trips made by taxicabs (Dubai Taxi only) in 2011 amounted to 62.36 million trips in which 125 million passengers.

During the meeting, Al Tayer attended to a briefing presented by Yousef Al Ali, Acting CEO of Dubai Taxi Corporation, on the initiatives carried out by the DTC to improve services offered to customers, and raise the fleet's operational efficiency, such as developing training programs for drivers and honing their driving skills, which paid dividends by reducing the accident rate from 1.92 accidents per 100,000 kilometers in 2009 to 1.26 accidents per 100,000 kilometers in 2011.

The Corporation also launched enterprise (Honest Hands) service, in response to the wishes and requirements of the public in response to the continued customer needs identification studies. The service targets children, women, students at schools, universities and colleges, families and special needs people.

The service is characterized by privacy, speed and quality, as only the distinguished drivers are selected to provide this service using 60 vehicles of all types in the initial phase.

This service contributed to increasing the number of trips by 10 per cent, and revenue by 6 per cent. Among other initiatives launched by the DTC, is converting the disabled taxis to the dual system to serve both the disabled and other passengers.

Also sensors have been installed in the taxi seats, alerting the driver to operate the taxi counter once passengers sit in. This service contributed to increasing revenue by 10%. The Dubai Taxi Corporation, in cooperation with Al Ain Mineral Water, also provided the service of mineral water bottles sale in taxis. It was introduced in 350 of the airport taxi fleet in the first phase. The sales value went up from Dh2,000 approximately in March 2011, to more than Dh27,000 last January.

Al Ali also shed light on the rationalization of periodic maintenance schedules of vehicles to suit the peak hours timing of taxi service, focusing on internal maintenance and repairs at the workshop.

The internal repairs at the workshop amounted to 98% and the technical efficiency hit 94.7%. The DTC also launched initiatives to motivate drivers including the Exemplary Driver Award (Drivers Performance System) for which 2 million dirham is allocated in addition to the Distinguished Cabby Award.

The crackdown on vehicles were also stepped up and the DTC also introduced a service on the same lines of RTA Awselni service to pick up drivers by buses from the DTC premises to their homes and vice versa.

"The Technical specifications of vehicles seats were also modified through adding dark colours that prevent staining of the seats. DTC offers a number of excellent services to the public such as Airport Taxi, Ladies Taxi, District Taxi, Hatta Taxi, and Special Needs Taxi. The Airport is served by a fleet comprising 350 taxicabs deployed on Terminals 1, 2 and 3 driven by 896 qualified drivers," added Al Ali.

At the end of the meeting, Al Tayer stressed the importance of working continuously to upgrade the quality of services rendered by the DTC to customers in order to cope with the growing profile of Dubai at the regional and international levels in all business, economic, service, financial, real estate and tourism sector among other private sectors.

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