Dubai: 461 million riders used mass transit means, shared transport and taxis in 2021

Last year, the daily average number of riders using mass transit means and taxis reached 1.3 million, compared to approximately 948,000 in 2020

by Varun Godinho

February 21, 2022

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has said that the number of riders using public transport, shared transport, and taxis in the emirate in 2021 amounted to about 461 million.

This involved the use of the metro, tram, public buses, marine transport (abra, ferry, water taxi, water bus), e-hail vehicles and taxis (Dubai Taxi and franchise companies) in the emirate.

The latest figures show a 33.2 per cent year-on-year increase from the 346 million riders that were recorded in 2020. Last year, the daily average number of riders using mass transit means and taxis reached 1.3 million, compared to approximately 948,000 in 2020.

The Dubai Metro and taxis accounted for the biggest share in the number of riders using public transport, shared transport and taxis, with a share of 34 per cent for taxis, and 33 per cent for the Dubai Metro.

The number of riders using public transport and shared transport in 2021 amounted to about 461 million riders compared to the number announced in 2020 amounting to about 346 million riders pic.twitter.com/sICq8DbBpM

— RTA (@rta_dubai) February 20, 2022

The number of metro riders on both the Red and Green Lines reached 151.3 million riders in 2021.

The Burjuman and Union Stations (interchange stations on the Red and Green Lines) accounted for the biggest number of metro riders last year. About 8.8 million riders used Burjuman Station on both the Red and Green Lines, while 7.5 million riders used the Union Station across both lines.

On the Red Line alone, Al Rigga Station witnessed the highest number of riders as it was used by 7 million passengers, followed by the Mall of the Emirates Station (6.3 million), Business Bay Station (5.8 million), and Burj Khalifa-Dubai Mall Station (5.7 million).

On the Green Line, Baniyas Station topped the list in terms of the ridership numbers by lifting about 5.3 million riders, followed by Sharaf DG Station (5.1 million), the Stadium Station (3.9 million), Salah Aldin Station (3.8 million) and Al Ghubaiba Station (3.2 million).

Meanwhile, public buses accounted for 25 per cent of the total number of public transport commuters.

Last year, Dubai Tram carried 5.34 million riders, public buses served 116.3 million riders and marine transport means (abras, water bus, water taxi and the ferry) lifted 10.94 million riders. In 2021, shared transport means (e-hail vehicles, and smart rental vehicles) also were used by 22.9 million riders, and taxis (Dubai Taxi and franchise companies) carried 154.7 million riders.

December 2021 recorded the highest number of public transport users with 53 million riders, followed by November recording 50 million riders. The number of riders in each of the remaining months ranged from 30 to 48 million riders, according to Mattar Al Tayer, director general, chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA.

“RTA applied the best global practices in coping with the virus. Such efforts were rewarded by a certification of the Covid-19 prevention measures from the Norwegian DNV.GL company; one of the prominent international entities in the evaluation of the infection control programmes and associated risk management, including performance-related health and preventive measures. RTA’s efforts also accelerated the recovery of the public transport sector and restored the normal business to pre-Covid-19 levels,” noted Al Tayer.

There is an ongoing effort to make public transport more sustainable and autonomous too within the emirate. In January, the RTA has signed a contract to procure 2,219 new vehicles to boost the Dubai Taxi Corporation fleet which included 1,775 hybrid vehicles. As a result, the total number of hybrid vehicles in Dubai Taxi fleet increases to 4,105 vehicles – which constitutes 71 per cent of the 5,721 vehicles in total operated by DTC.

Read: Dubai Taxi to add 2,219 vehicles to fleet, including 1,775 hybrids

Also, earlier this month, the RTA and US-based company Cruise signed agreements to begin trials on Cruise autonomous vehicles offering taxi and e-hailing services in Dubai this year.

Dubai will, therefore, become the first city outside of the US to operate such vehicles. In 2023, a limited number of Cruise autonomous vehicles will be deployed with a plan to increase them to 4,000 by 2030.

Read: Dubai to begin trials of driverless taxis this year