The initiative supports first and last-mile connections
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Careem have officially launched the first-of-its-kind bike rental service in the region, providing 780 bicycles and 78 stations across Dubai under the project’s phase 1.
The multi-phase project will provide 3,500 bicycles across 350 stations in Dubai upon completion.
Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA and Mudassir Sheikha, Co-Founder and CEO, Careem, recently inaugurated the service at the Jumeirah Lakes Towers’ rental station.
The solar-powered rental stations will allow users to hire and pay via the Careem Bike app, which allows them to unlock the bicycle by scanning the QR code on the bicycle and enter a 5-digit code from the application into the station.
According to its 15-year contract with the RTA, Careem will operate 1,750 bicycles and install 175 stations during the first two years, before increasing them to a total of 3,500 bicycles and 350 stations over the next five years.
“We appreciate the great efforts made by the RTA to bring success to this project, while we value the contributions of our partners at Wasl Properties, Emaar, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), TECOM and Dubai Holding, who helped translate this project into a reality,” stated Sheikha.
Over the past few years, the RTA has laid 425 km of bicycle tracks across Dubai. The overall bicycle tracks across the Emirate will reach 647 km by 2023.
