These Emirati 'captains' drive Careem cabs in UAE

Abu Dhabi - Eight drivers have already hit the roads on February 7.

At a Press conference in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Careem presented the new fleet of Emirati drivers "who truly represent national sentiment and a desire to serve the community, and in doing so, present their city in the best way to visitors".
The management said a total of 14 permits have been issued and 30 others are being prepared to join the fleet in the coming weeks. Eight drivers have already hit the roads on February 7.
The online cab hiring platform that operates in 16 countries and 160 cities announced the new initiative last November to hire Emiratis as captains to provide new job opportunities and a flexible and stable income for UAE nationals. The company in collaboration with the Integrated Transport Company (ITC), began an outreach programme targeting UAE nationals, and encouraged eligible Emiratis to apply.
Gheed Al Makkoui, general manager of Careem, UAE, said the company received over a hundred applications from interested Emiratis, and strict criteria was followed in shortlisting the first 30 captains.
"Ahead of qualifying as Careem captains, all applicants go through a screening and background checks. We also provide them with special Careem training that will teach them how to provide a customer-centric experience and the dos and don'ts."
To qualify, captains need to be aged 23 years and above with more than five years of driving experience.
Bassel Al Nahlaoui, managing director of Careem Gulf, said: "It will be a unique experience for tourists or residents to be picked up by an Emirati and get to see the country and experience it from an Emirati perspective."
And the pricing is the same as the public taxis with minimum fares starting at Dh12.
Mohammed Darwish Al Qamzi, general manager of the ITC, said: "This is a major step towards supporting the transport sector in Abu Dhabi and offering new job opportunities for Emiratis who will now benefit from earning an income and serving their community at the same time.
anjana@khaleejtimes.com

These brothers want to see the world

In a glance, Mohsin A Harthi and Abdul Aziz have much in common. They are brothers and both love Real Madrid. Now these Emirati brothers are embarking on a new journey together to "see the world".
Mohsin, 29, a forensic biologist, and Aziz, 31, an Abu Dhabi Police employee, are among the 14 new Emirati captains who have joined Careem's fleet in Abu Dhabi as part of their new 'Go Emirati' initiative.
"I want to meet people and see the world. All these years in the UAE, I have only spoken to... may be British, American and Indian nationals other than Emiratis. We have more than 200 different nationalities and being a cabbie is the best way to learn new languages and cultures," Mohsin told Khaleej Times.
His brother Abdul Aziz is also in the game for the love of everything new.
"I want to try something new. This is very exciting. I cannot wait to begin hitting the roads," said Abdul Aziz. Both the brothers are serving as part time in Careem while pursuing their professions.
Mohsin and Aziz, who will start picking customers by next week, said they are happy to have an extra income but it is more about promoting their country.
"People think we Emiratis are spoilt; that we do not work hard. That is not right. Having Emirati drivers plying the road will also help people know us better and respect our country more," said Mohsin.
The brothers have 14 siblings, and they say they are not sure how their families will react.
"We have told some but not all. I think they will be proud," said Abdul Aziz

Breaking stereotypes

Abdullah Al Ameri's first job as a Careem captain was to pick an Afghani family from Reem Island in Abu Dhabi and drop them to Sharjah.
The 28-year-old Emirati was not expecting a long trip on day one. But he was not going to shirk from the call of duty.
"I could not decline. It was a husband and wife with two children. When they saw an Emirati in a kandoora behind the wheels, they looked surprised," Ameri told Khaleej Times.
For him also, it was the first time he was speaking to a family from Afghanistan.
"But we did not stop talking the whole trip. I learned a lot about Afghanistan and what is happening in the country. They asked me a lot of questions about Emiratis and why I am working as a driver."
A project manager with a comfortable income, Ameri says the endless possibilities of such cultural exchanges with the UAE's multi-ethnic population is what has wooed him to enlist as a Careem driver.
"I think I will travel to a lot more countries as I will have the opportunity to learn about their cultures," said Ameri. According to him, he is among the new breed of young Emiratis, who are "eager to explore and learn new things".
Since February 7, Ameri has clocked 10 hours and four trips in total. "I am only working part time spending two hours maximum a day. I am planning to have more hours during the weekends," he said. He said it is a huge responsibility and challenge as his job also requires him to be a brand ambassador of his country.
"People think we are a closed community. But we are not. I want to show that we Emiratis are open-minded, and we can live with different cultures. In the Year of Tolerance, I want to show how tolerant we are," said Ameri, who is married.
And his previous work experience as a culture guide at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque helps him in handling the challenges.
"Sometimes, people will approach you with pre-conceived ideas. I know we have to talk to them and slowly make them understand."
The job is also about breaking stereotypes that Emiratis do not take up blue-collar jobs, said Ameri. "There is no shame in working as a taxi driver. As long as you are representing your country well and promoting its culture, we should be proud to do any job. I will keep doing this job as a proud Emirati," said Ameri

• UAE
• Abu Dhabi