Dubai’s Public Transport Ridership Sees 12% Increase
In the first eight months of 2023, public transport ridership in Dubai saw a significant increase, with over 1.8 million people using public transport services daily. This amounted to a total of 450 million passengers, marking a 12% increase from the same period in 2022.
The Dubai Metro emerged as the most popular mode of transportation, serving 167 million riders, followed by taxis with 130 million users. Public buses transported 111 million riders, marine transport ferried 11 million, and the Dubai Tram served 5.6 million passengers. Additionally, shared transportation means, including e-hail, smart rentals, and bus-on-demand, served about 26 million passengers.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai recently announced these statistics as part of its preparations to celebrate its 18th anniversary and the 14th Public Transport Day initiative on November 1. The event, themed “Gym on the Go,” is aimed at promoting physical fitness and encouraging residents and visitors to use public transportation modes.
According to Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Directors, the share of mass transport in people’s mobility increased from 6% in 2006 to 20.61% in 2022. Dubai’s interconnected public transport has become the backbone of people’s mobility around the Emirate.
The RTA has been instrumental in carrying out numerous mega projects, investing about Dh146 billion in projects such as the Dubai Metro, which spans 89.3km and is the world’s longest driverless metro system, the 11-km-long Dubai Tram, a 1,400-strong bus fleet, and marine transport systems encompassing traditional Abras, ferries, and water taxis.
Furthermore, the Emirate’s road network expanded from 8,715 to 18,768 lane-km between 2006 and 2022, with the number of bridges and tunnels increasing from 129 to 988. Cycling lanes also saw substantial growth, growing from 9km to 543 km and set to reach 833km by 2026.
In terms of sustainability, the RTA unveiled its “Zero-Emissions Public Transportation in Dubai 2050” strategy, aiming to transform 100% of public buses to electricity- and hydrogen-powered by 2050, and make taxis and limousines electricity- or hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2040.
These developments showcase Dubai’s commitment to improving public transportation and reducing carbon footprint across all its operations, setting a new standard for sustainable and efficient transportation.
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