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Dubai Metro, RTA bus stations give delivery riders place to cool down between orders
Riders said that the dedicated seats give them a place to cool down and rest between orders, while commuters are also taking notice of the initiative
- PUBLISHED: Tue 18 Aug 2026, 1:00 PM
For delivery riders in Dubai, Metro stations are just not places where passengers catch trains. During hot afternoons or between orders, these are also places where they could step inside, cool down and rest for a few minutes.
But until recently, they had to sit wherever they found an empty seat. “Metro stations have always been one of the places where we could come in and rest for some time, especially when we were between deliveries or needed a break from being outside. Earlier there was no place specifically meant for us,” said Shahnawaz Khan.
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That has now changed, with dedicated seats for delivery riders appearing at many metro stations and bus stops across Dubai.
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The specially marked seating has also caught the attention of commuters, some of whom said they only recently realised that the seats were reserved for riders. For Shahnawaz the new arrangement has made resting easier.
“Now we know that there is a place kept for delivery riders, so we don't have to look around for somewhere to sit,” he said.
He added that even before the dedicated seats were introduced, commuters often showed kindness towards riders.
“There have been many times when I came inside and people got up from their seats and asked me to sit. They could see that we had been riding outside in the heat. Those small gestures from people always meant a lot to us,” he said.
What has surprised him now is that many commuters continue to leave the marked seats empty even outside the dedicated hours.
“Even when the seats can be used by others, I have noticed that many passengers still avoid sitting there. They seem to prefer leaving them free in case a delivery rider comes in. For us, seeing that kind of consideration from people is a very good feeling,” he said.
‘A blessing for us’
For Gopal Shankar, a Nepali delivery rider who serves areas including Al Nahda, Al Qusais and Al Mamzar, the dedicated seats have solved another common problem.
“In some of the areas where I work, dedicated rest areas are few and sometimes they are a little far from where we are. Earlier, we would anyway use bus stops or Metro stations whenever we needed to take a short break, but having seats specifically kept for delivery riders is a blessing for us,” he said.
Gopal said he was not even aware of the facility until another rider told him about it. “One of my fellow riders told me that if I wanted to rest during the afternoon, I could go to a Metro station and use the seats kept for us. That was when I came to know about it,” he said.
The option is particularly useful during quieter afternoon hours, he added.
“Nowadays, we sometimes get fewer orders in the afternoon. During that time, we either have to go back home or find somewhere nearby where we can rest. Going home is not always practical because we may have to come back to the same area when the orders start again,” he said.
“Now, if there is a Metro station nearby, we know we have a place where we can sit, cool down and wait before getting back on the road. For riders like us, having that option makes a big difference.”
Commuters begin noticing
The dedicated spaces are also drawing attention from regular public transport users.
Abir Karkala, who lives in Karama and works in Business Bay, said he first noticed the seats at a bus stop in Karama.
“There was a delivery rider sitting there, and initially I thought he was waiting for a bus and travelling somewhere. When he got up, I noticed the sign on the seat saying that the area was reserved for delivery riders. That was when I realised it was actually a dedicated place for them to sit and rest,” he said.
After that, he began spotting similar seats at Business Bay Metro Station and at bus stops around Karama.
“It is something you can easily walk past without paying much attention, but once you realise why it is there, you appreciate the idea,” he said.
Fazil Ahmed, who lives in Al Qusais and regularly travels by metro, said he has also noticed the dedicated seats at several stations.
“What stood out to me was that delivery riders now have a place where they can sit without having to look around for an empty seat or wait outside,” he said.
“A few minutes inside an air-conditioned station may seem like a small break, but for someone who has been riding outside, it can mean a lot.”
23 temporary rest areas
The seats form part of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority’s summer measures for delivery riders.
RTA announced 23 temporary rest areas at Metro and bus stations this year, up from 15 locations in 2025.
The announced locations include Centrepoint, Al Furjan, DMCC, BurJuman, Ibn Battuta and e& Metro stations, along with several bus stations across Dubai.
The temporary facilities complement permanent air-conditioned rest areas built for delivery riders in different parts of the emirate.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.