Dubai RTA and Careem to operate 3,500 bikes and 350 stations

The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a contract with Careem to operate 3,500 bicycles distributed over 350 stations in Dubai. This service is the first local bicycle sharing programme in the region.

Under the 15-year contract, Careem will operate 1,750 bicycles, with 175 stations installed during the first two years of the contract, rising in the next five years to 3,500 bicycles and 350 stations. The bikes will be connected to GPS using solar powered bicycle stations, powered by PBSC Urban Solutions, and the Careem Bike application will provide the leasing and payment system. The application offers bicycles from daily use to annual memberships.

Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, Mattar Al Tayer, said: “Dubai Sports Council, providing suitable alternatives to encourage residents to exercise and hobby cycle, stresses that the memorandum promotes sustainability in Dubai, and encourages residents and tourists to enjoy a lively and active life by enhancing transport options and improve movement within communities, as well as contribute to support the Authority’s efforts in achieving integration between various modes of transportation, providing short trip service (first and last mile) that helps mass transit users reach their final destinations.” 

Mudather Shaikha, CEO and Co-Founder of Careem, said: “Careem’s new partnership with the RTA will create an exciting new addition to the local transport network, with the launch of the Careem Bike service.

“Careem Bike helps provide mobility that covers the last mile of Dubai’s residents by bus, metro and tram, and in provides a healthy hobby for people who want to ride bicycles around the city, helping to reduce congestion and promote a healthy lifestyle.”