Dubai Taxi Company (DTC), in partnership with Bolt, has launched a new ride category in Dubai designed to support safer and more structured school commutes, as mobility providers expand into specialised, everyday transport use cases.

The new service, Bolt School, is now available via the Bolt app and has been introduced to address growing demand from parents and guardians for reliable and convenient school transport options. The service initially covers more than 90 per cent of schools across Dubai, selected based on student population size, with plans for further expansion.

Bolt School allows users to schedule rides in advance, aligning with school drop-off and pick-up timings. The offering is positioned as a structured alternative within the ride-hailing ecosystem, aimed at simplifying daily routines for families while enhancing predictability and consistency.

Safety and service quality form a core part of the proposition. Trips will be fulfilled by top-rated drivers within Bolt’s Comfort category, while an in-app Safety PIN verification feature ensures that students are matched with the correct vehicle before the journey begins.

To support adoption, the service is launching with a 20 per cent discount on all scheduled rides within eligible school zones, enhancing accessibility for families.

The initiative aligns with Dubai’s broader push to enhance smart and safe mobility solutions, particularly in high-frequency, everyday travel segments. It also reflects the increasing diversification of ride-hailing services, with operators targeting niche use cases such as school transport to drive engagement and long-term user retention.

By introducing Bolt School, Dubai Taxi Company and Bolt are extending their role beyond general ride-hailing into more specialised mobility services, reinforcing their focus on delivering tailored solutions that reflect evolving urban transport needs.

The UAE’s flagship industrial event, Make it in the Emirates, opened today in Abu Dhabi with its largest edition to date, expecting more than 120,000 visitors as the Gulf state pushes ahead with plans to expand its manufacturing base and diversify its economy.

The fifth edition of the event, held under the theme ‘Advanced Industry. Emerging Stronger’, has attracted 1,245 exhibitors across 88,000 square metres at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, covering 12 strategic sectors, including advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defence, pharmaceuticals, energy, mobility and sustainable materials.

The event comes as the UAE accelerates efforts to strengthen its industrial sector, with industrial GDP rising 70 per cent since 2021 and exports more than doubling to Dhs262bn, according to organisers.

Major agreements involving government entities, national companies, global corporations and local businesses are expected to be announced during the four-day event.

The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology is also set to unveil new initiatives aimed at improving industrial resilience and supporting businesses amid global economic volatility.

Read: ADNOC plans Dhs200bn in project awards through 2028 to expand growth strategy

These include the next phase of the UAE’s In-Country Value programme, which officials said has redirected more than Dhs473bn into the national economy while supporting local employment and supply chain development.

Four new hubs at Make it in the Emirates 2026

This year’s event introduces four new dedicated hubs as organisers seek to move beyond investment announcements and focus on industrial capability building.

The new ‘Intelligence Hub’, a 1,400-square-metre technology showcase, will feature artificial intelligence, robotics, drones, electric vehicles, batteries, industrial cybersecurity and smart manufacturing technologies, including products developed locally and through international partnerships.

A separate ‘Industry NextGen Hub’ will target startups and small businesses, which account for 61 per cent of exhibitors this year, by offering investor matchmaking, pitch competitions and access to procurement opportunities.

The ‘Quality Hub’ will focus on certification and accreditation standards required for UAE-made products to compete internationally.

Meanwhile, the ‘House of Industry’ will debut as what organisers describe as the country’s first immersive industrial heritage exhibition, tracing the UAE’s economic evolution from traditional trade to advanced manufacturing.

Make it in the Emirates 2026 is hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Abu Dhabi Investment Office, ADNOC and L’IMAD, and organised by ADNEC Group.

Launched to advance the UAE’s industrial strategy, the event has become a central platform for connecting manufacturers, investors and policymakers as the country seeks to build long-term economic resilience beyond oil.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said on Sunday it plans to award Dhs200bn ($55bn) worth of projects between 2026 and 2028, as it accelerates expansion across its upstream and downstream businesses.

The planned awards are part of ADNOC’s five-year capital expenditure plan approved by its board last year and come as the company looks to expand production capacity and meet rising global energy demand.

The announcement was made at ADNOC’s ‘Make it With ADNOC’ forum in Abu Dhabi, which brought together engineering, procurement and construction contractors with 70 UAE-based manufacturers that have met the company’s technical qualification standards.

The event was attended by more than 400 representatives from government entities, private sector companies and contractors, ADNOC said.

The state energy firm said the projects would support local manufacturing and strengthen domestic supply chains under its In-Country Value programme, which aims to boost spending within the UAE economy.

ADNOC to connect with buyers at Make it in the Emirates

ADNOC said it plans to hold a separate “ADNOC Value Connect – meet the buyer” event on May 5 and 6 during the Make it in the Emirates 2026 forum, where more than 1,000 companies are expected to participate.

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC chief executive Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said the company was entering a new execution phase focused on project delivery and industrial growth.

“As we deliver on this phase of growth, we are bringing together leading EPC contractors with 70 top UAE manufacturers,” he said in a statement.

ADNOC has been expanding internationally while increasing domestic gas, chemicals and lower-carbon investments as the UAE seeks to diversify its economy while maintaining its role as a major energy producer.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the primary tunnelling works for the Dubai Metro Blue Line project, a transport expansion project valued at more than Dhs20.5bn ($5.58bn).

The 30-km line will include 15.5 km of underground track and 14.5 km of elevated routes, with 14 stations comprising three interchange stations, seven elevated stations and four underground stations.

The Blue Line will serve nine districts expected to be home to around one million people under the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

“Investing in the transport sector is an investment in the future and a key pillar of enhancing Dubai’s global competitiveness,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

He added that the metro line forms part of Dubai’s broader plan to build a more connected, efficient and sustainable city.

Work on Blue Line project is 20 per cent complete

The project is currently 20 per cent complete, with more than 10,000 workers and over 500 engineers and experts involved in delivery.

Authorities said completion is expected to reach 30 per cent by the end of 2026, with the line scheduled to open on September 9, 2029.

Sheikh Mohammed also gave the signal to begin operations of the tunnel boring machine named “Al Wugeisha”, which will excavate in three directions from International City 1 station toward Mirdif, the Auto Market and Al Warsan.

The machine is 163 metres long, weighs more than 2,000 tonnes and can excavate between 13 and 17 metres per day.

The Blue Line will connect with Dubai Metro’s Green Line at Creek Station and the Red Line at Centrepoint Station, while providing direct journeys to Dubai International Airport in about 20 minutes.

In other news, in April, Dubai announced the Gold Line project, the largest transportation project in Dubai. The new 42-kilometre metro line will pass through 15 key strategic areas across the city, serve approximately 1.5 million residents, and strengthen connectivity to 55 major real estate developments currently under construction.

The Gold Line project will cost Dhs34bn. It will increase the length of the Dubai Metro network by 35 per cent, and is scheduled for completion in September 2032.

Dubai’s existing metro and tram network spans 101 km and has transported nearly 2.8 billion passengers since operations began in 2009, including 295 million riders in 2025.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the launch of a national programme aimed at strengthening the country’s supply chain resilience and securing access to essential goods, state news agency WAM reported.

The programme is designed to safeguard supplies of key food, medical and industrial products amid global challenges, while boosting economic security and supporting the UAE’s long-term competitiveness and sustainability.

The initiative includes diversifying import sources, expanding local manufacturing and agriculture in partnership with the private sector, and strengthening international partnerships to ensure the continued availability of essential goods.

It will also identify priority products, assess import-related risks, determine strategic supply markets and explore opportunities to expand domestic production and investment in sectors linked to long-term supply chain sustainability.

Read: Dubai logistics sector sets global benchmark for efficiency, industry group says