Dubai taxi and e-hail limousine sectors surge as ridership jumps in 2025
New operators and greener fleets drive transport transformation
DUBAI – Dubai’s taxi and limousine sectors continued their strong upward trajectory in 2025, posting notable gains in ridership, fleet expansion and service quality, according to the Roads and Transport Authority.
The latest figures highlight sustained demand for smart mobility solutions across the emirate. Officials say the performance reflects Dubai’s ongoing push towards efficient, technology-driven and sustainable transport.
The taxi sector alone served more than 209 million passengers during the year, supported by a registered fleet of 14,476 vehicles. Authorities noted that the results reinforce Dubai’s position as a leader in advanced urban mobility.
Digital shift
Adel Shakeri, Director of Planning and Business Development at RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said e-hail usage continued to expand rapidly. About 45 per cent of all taxi trips were completed through digital booking platforms, marking a 13 per cent increase compared with 2024.
He said the trend demonstrates the success of Dubai’s strategy to transition passengers from traditional street hailing to app-based bookings. During peak hours, all taxis are now available on e-hail platforms, improving reliability and demand fulfilment.
Ridership rise
The taxi sector recorded a 4.2 per cent increase in ridership, rising from 200.65 million passengers in 2024 to 209.02 million in 2025. Taxi trips also grew by 4.2 per cent, reaching 120.1 million journeys compared with 115.3 million the previous year.
Shakeri said the figures reflect growing passenger confidence in Dubai’s taxi services and the authority’s focus on innovation, sustainability and customer-centric mobility.
Greener fleet
In 2025, the taxi fleet expanded with the addition of 600 new vehicles, representing a 6 percent increase year on year. Authorities reported that 90 percent of the operational fleet is now hybrid or electric.
The RTA has set a roadmap to convert the entire taxi fleet to electric vehicles by 2040, in line with the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050. Officials said the transition supports broader environmental targets while maintaining service efficiency.
To enhance passenger comfort, the sector introduced several upgrades including leather seating, in-car fresheners and digital roof lights. New performance indicators were also rolled out to strengthen service standards, while artificial intelligence tools now assist lost-and-found operations and driver safety monitoring.
Service performance remained strong, with more than 75 percent of taxi trips achieving an estimated time of arrival of under 3.5 minutes.
The e-hail limousine sector also delivered robust growth. Trips surged by 25 percent, rising from 32.8 million in 2024 to 41 million in 2025, while ridership reached 71.4 million passengers.
The expansion was supported by the entry of 35 new limousine companies and the addition of about 2,500 vehicles. Currently, around 15,000 vehicles operate on the e-hail limousine platform, with 83 per cent of trips achieving ETAs of under 3.5 minutes.
Authorities added that sustainability efforts are advancing within the limousine segment as well, with electric vehicles now accounting for 18 percent of the fleet and operators committed to further increasing the share of green mobility options.