Car rental boom amid public transport shortage

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Hertz says the shortage of taxis in Dubai is helping their business to grow. (Getty Images)

A car rental company based in Dubai says business has risen sharply in recent months as more residents and visitors find it difficult to get taxis.

Hertz, the world’s largest car rental firm which now has 15 branches in the UAE, said one of the factors contributing to the rise is difficulties experienced by expats and holidaymakers to get a taxi.

Nigel Johnson, general manager of Hertz said: “When tourists and expatriates arrive in Dubai, the first thing they want to do is explore the city’s wonders. This can be challenging as there is limited public transport at present and taxis can be hard to come by during peak periods.”

More than 28,000 calls a day were handled by Dubai Roads and Transport Authority's (RTA) taxi booking section in September, official figures showed, with the average time for a vehicle to reach the client being about 14 minutes.

Johnson said that while the RTA is continually addressing ways to improve the flow of traffic in Dubai and build new modes of transport, such as the Dubai Metro, more visitors to the city are now opting for car rental.

“We’ve witnessed a considerable rise in car rentals in Dubai in recent months and that’s partly down to the traffic problems people are enduring,” he added.

Johnson predicted that car rentals would continue to rise into 2009 and Hertz would continue to expand its operations.

The company is also investing heavily in two mega-sites at Dubai Investment Park and Mussafah in Abu Dhabi, with parking for 500 vehicles and full servicing facilities, in addition to plans to introduce a branch in Al Ain.

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