Dubai introduces e-scooters for public commute

Our Correspondent

Riders aged 14 and above in Dubai can use the pay-as-you-use e-scooters in five areas beginning October 26. The five areas are Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Dubai Internet City, 2nd December St, Al Rigga and Jumeirah Lake Towers.

The new facility was launched by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai as a trial phase. The RTA is working on the e-scooter scheme with Dubai Police and local scooter-for-hire suppliers Arnab and Skurrt, and global operators Careem, Lime and Tier.

It will be a convenient mode of transport for metro passengers who would otherwise have to walk or hail a taxi from their homes or offices to the metro station and back.

E-scooters, which have become popular in many cities around the world, typically have two or three wheels and no seats, so users ride them standing. They are personal light electric vehicles with an average speed of 20km/h. They are powered by electric motor, so they are widely regarded as an environmentally friendly mode of transport, particularly with regards to ‘first and last mile’ solutions; ‘first and last-mile’ is a term used to describe the beginning or end of an individual’s public transport journey.

The bikes are available for rent through mobile applications; they cost Dh3 to unlock and 50 to 60 fils for every minute thereafter. A five-minute ride would cost approximately Dh 6. The payment is done via the app, which is linked to the riders’ credit or debit cards.

Similar to ride-hailing applications, users can find an e-scooter closest to them using GPS technology. Five companies are operating the scooters in Dubai.

Once users have registered and found their e-scooter, they need to tap their devices to a QR code stuck on the two-wheelers to start their ride. They have to tap out at the end of their journey. They have to park the scooter in the right place to stop the meter on the app. Once parked, the users are prompted to make the payment.