Careem Dubai imposes RTA Fee while RTA denies the hike

Riding sharing service provider Careem has imposed a surcharge of AED3 per trip saying it will be passed directly to the RTA.

The fee is applicable on both on-demand and pre-scheduled completed journeys and will be included on all passenger receipts labelled as ‘RTA fee’.

The fee would not apply to RTA taxis booked through the Careem app – a service that is scheduled to launch shortly following a deal between the two parties.

However, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has sought to distance itself from news of new fees it is allegedly imposing on ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem.

According to Arabian Business news, the RTA declined to provide any information about the new regulations and instead sought to distance itself from the news.

An RTA spokesperson said: “The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) confirmed that it has no relation to the fare increase imposed by the (Careem) Company of booking limos via its smart app.”

The spokesperson then went on to reiterate the news that RTA customers can now use the Careem app to book transportation services: “RTA further explained that limos can be booked through different channels including smart apps of limo companies, online booking companies or by calling 04-2080555 to book a Dubai Taxi limo.”

Uber, meanwhile, said it had agreed to comply with the RTA’s new rules requiring a tax on trips booked through its platform, on the condition that it could work with the regulator on the exact size of the fee.