Smart car rentals register over 60,000 trips

Dubai - To facilitate better service, the RTA recently held a workshop attended by smart car rental users to examine their experience.

Smart vehicle rental service or renting cars by the minute or per hour has gained sizable following in Dubai.
According to Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), 60,277 journeys - equivalent to 49,139 rental hours -  have been registered in the past seven months after the 'eKar' and 'Udrive' apps that facilitate the rental service were launched in January this year.
To facilitate better service, the RTA recently held a workshop attended by smart car rental users to examine their experience. 
Adel Shakri, director of transportation systems at RTA Public Transport Agency, said: "The brainstorming workshop attracted a bunch of smart rental service users from different nationalities who were invited through the technology means they use to request the service. The RTA has identified their experience, ideas, aspirations and observations about the new initiative for improving the service.
"It is particularly relevant to the smart car rental service; which forms part of the Smart City initiative of Dubai Government. We are therefore striving to ensure that the service is compatible with the requirements of the "Smart City" aimed to bring happiness to Dubai residences," he added.
The service is carried out without human intervention in taking/handing over the car. The RTA has provided 45 locations in Dubai to avail the service, including within metro stations in Al-Rashidiya, Union, Burjman, Business Bay, and Ibn Battuta
Shakri noted that the smart car rental service has multiple benefits such as free fuel at EPCO and ENOC stations, free insurance, and free RTA parking. The user pays rental rate of 50 fils per minute when the vehicle is parked anywhere in Dubai, and 40 fils per minute when the vehicle is returned to the point of use.
The smart car rental service is only limited within Dubai.  Residents who want to avail of the service  need to register with any of two apps by entering details of their Emirates ID, driver's license, credit card and a photograph of the user while Dubai visitors have to enter their passport details, entry visa details, driver's license and credit card details.
- angel@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai