DTC Ink Pact with Bolt to Launch e-Hailing Platform

Dubai Taxi Company (DTC), a leading provider of comprehensive mobility solutions in Dubai, on Monday announced that it has signed a strategic partnership with Bolt, the global shared mobility platform, to launch its e-hailing platform, in Dubai.

The strategic partnership with Bolt, which is launching in the UAE for the first time, will provide innovative e-hailing solutions whilst enhancing customers’ digital mobility experience and expanding smart transportation services throughout the Emirate, in line with DTC’s ambitious growth strategy.

Bolt will be DTC’s strategic partner for the provision of e-hailing services in the Emirate. The company, which was founded in 2013, has experienced rapid growth in recent years and operates in over 600 cities across 50 countries.

Bolt offers a diverse range of mobility solutions, including e-hailing, food and grocery delivery, scooter and e-bike rental, and short-term car rental, DTC said in a regulatory filing with Dubai Financial Market (DFM), this month.

The launch of the new e-hailing platform was announced during a signing ceremony between DTC and Bolt at GITEX Global.

DTC CEO Mansoor Alfalasi signed the Partnership Agreement with Markus Villig, Founder and CEO of Bolt, in the presence of Erkki Keldo, Minister of Economy and Industry of the Republic of Estonia, and Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Kalbat, Chairman of Dubai Taxi, along with members of the company’s Board of directors.

Bolt’s world class digital platform will enable DTC to unlock a greater share of the $1.63 billion market opportunity presented by Dubai’s taxi and e-hailing sector.

For Bolt, the partnership marks the next stage of its ambitious expansion plans across the Middle East and follows the growth and success of its business in Saudi Arabia which it has operated since 2017 and its launch of Egypt earlier this year.

Strategic Expansion

Mansoor Rahma Alfalasi said that this landmark strategic partnership brings together DTC’s position as the UAE’s largest fleet owner with over 6,000 taxis and limousines and Bolt’s position as a leading global shared mobility platform. The combined strengths of both companies will create an unparalleled local mobility leader that supports DTC’s ambitious plans for growth.

Alfalasi also emphasised that the agreement reflects DTC’s commitment to supporting the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) Dubai directives to transition 80% of taxi trips to e-booking in the coming years and that the strategic move will significantly strengthen DTC’s leading position and bolster its vital role in shaping the future of urban mobility in the Emirate.

Markus Villig said that there are over 3.5 million cars registered and operating on the UAE’s roads which can cause increased travel time, congestion, accidents and pollution.

“This long-term strategic partnership with Dubai Taxi Company will create a new shared mobility platform in Dubai, reducing the need to use a private car which will have a positive impact on the Emirate and the people living here,” Villig added.

Innovative Services

The partnership allows DTC to utilise infrastructure and technology created by Bolt which will improve DTC’s operational capabilities by incorporating the most recent digital vehicle booking technologies into DTC’s ecosystem. Furthermore, DTC will benefit from Bolt’s global footprint which will allow it to tap into a worldwide customer base.

The strategic partnership reinforces DTC’s status as a leading smart transportation operator in the region, whilst highlighting its commitment to providing innovative and sustainable transportation solutions that cater to the future demands of Dubai and the wider UAE.