Careem launches Hala taxi service in Ras Al Khaimah

The Hala taxi e-hailing service, available through the Careem app, was launched in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah earlier this week.

The announcement made by the Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA) added that during a pilot phase in which the service was tested in the emirate, 50 taxis were deployed and the average wait time for a customer to wait for a taxi was reduced to under 5 minutes.

There are now 500 Hala cabs deployed across Ras Al Khaimah, which is expected to reduce the wait time even further, Hala said in a press statement.

Hala officially launches in RAK!⁣
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Following a successful pilot, you can now book a Hala (RAKTA taxi) through the Careem app in Ras al-Khaimah! ⁣
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Get picked up from anywhere in RAK by 1 of our 500 Hala taxis – we’re only a click away! ⁣
⁣#halaxrak #rak #raktransport pic.twitter.com/LidfQYuvUz

— Hala (@halaride) August 18, 2020

Hala cabs follow the same fare pricing structure as regular cabs and hence there is no surge pricing during peak hours.

The launch follows a successful pilot phase of 50 taxis, where the average arrival time for a taxi to the customer has reached under 5 minutes – a number expected to reduce as the taxi fleet now increases to 500 taxis equipped with Careem technology, allowing them to be booked easily and from anywhere, at the touch of a button.

Following the same fare pricing model as regular taxis, and with no surge pricing during peak hours, the service will offer residents an innovative booking model, at an affordable price.

“I am happy to see the beautiful progress we have been able to realise in the pilot phase of our launch, with an average customer trip rating of 4.7/5, achieved by working closely with our valued partners at RAKTA to implement a service of the highest quality. We are excited to be able to announce the second phase of the service,” said Clemence Dutertre, CEO of Hala

Prior to launching the second phase, each taxi driver participated in an onboarding programme to ensure competency with the technology.

Hala provides customers with information including their ETA, fare estimate and route upfront, along with the driver’s details too. Rides also automatically collect reward points for each trip which can be redeemed as ride credits or against partner offers.

This week, Uber too said that it had launched its ride-hailing services in Sharjah. Customers in Sharjah can access UberSelect, Uber’s more affordable service.

Read: Uber launches ride services in Sharjah