New colour codes for taxis in Dubai

DUBAI — Passengers in Dubai can now choose taxis for their attractive coloured roof tops, following Dubai Transports decision ordering five different transport companies in the emirate to soon have identical body colours, but different colours on the top of the cars.

By A Staff Reporter

Published: Sun 9 Apr 2006, 11:13 AM

Last updated: Wed 25 Jan 2023, 4:01 PM

For Cars Taxi, its blue roof top, yellow top for National Taxi, beige top for Dubai Transport, red top for Metro Taxi and green top for Al Arabia Taxi, a source at the Dubai Transport said, adding that the new colours will help passengers choose taxis of their choice. “It is difficult for a passenger to remember the name of the company, but attractive coloured roof tops are eye-catching and easy to remember,“ the source said, pointing out, “once the passenger mentions the colour of the taxi top, it will be easy for us to understand which company that particular colour represents. The reason for different coloured rooftops,“ the source disclosed , “is to assist passengers to easily remember the taxi by its colour while lodging any complaints of loss of property or against drivers.”

He pointed out that it was difficult for the passenger to recall the name of the different taxi companies operating in the emirate, and for the Dubai Transport to follow up on complaints filed against any of the taxi fleet or their driver. “The new look will help create uniformity and also avoid a mix-up by passengers,” he added.

Meanwhile, taxi companies expressed concern on the uniformity of the look of all taxis in the emirate, stating, “the identical body colours of all taxis can also cause a mix-up. Besides, the new colour scheme is an added financial burden on companies, forced to either invest in an entire new fleet or to paint the existing fleet with the colours decreed by Dubai Transport.

A Metro Taxi official told Khaleej Times that the company with its current fleet of 754 cars, has changed the colour scheme of only 250 vehicles. The remaining fleet will change within one and a half month, he said, disclosing it has not been an easy decision, “but as a franchisee of the Dubai Transport, we have to obey the rules.”

Meanwhile, an official of National Taxi said, “we have purchased a new fleet of cars because as per our policy we change our vehicle fleet every three years. The company has already launched its new fleet with the new colour scheme i.e. yellow top in the market, and the existing vehicles with the previous colour scheme will gradually be phased out as soon as the entire new fleet is on the road,” he pointed out.