Dubai taxis to add Salik toll to fare

Tuesday, 4 December 2012 11:04 AM

Passengers traveling in Dubai taxis will have to pay the AED4 (US$1.1) fee to pass through Salik from January 1, Gulf News reported, citing unnamed sources at the Road & Transport Authority (RTA).

The toll was originally applicable to taxis, but was scrapped in December 2008 after continued complaints.

Taxi operators have been asked to upgrade their meters to introduce a new system called D8, which will automatically charge passengers the toll, said the newspaper.

“Previously most complaints were from tourists, because cab drivers had to manually add the AED4 toll on the fare and this made tourists think they were being cheated. This time, the meters will automatically add the toll,” an official at the RTA told the newspaper.

Salik gates were launched in July 2007 under a plan to cut down congestion on Dubai’s roads,

The cash raised has since become a key source of income for the RTA, which expects revenues from the toll to reach AED5bn by 2013.

Dubai relies on fees and taxes for around 77 percent of its budget revenue.

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Posted by: ZeTallGerman Thursday, 6 December 2012 1:22 PM[UAE] - UAE

Does anyone really think this is a coincidence? 2 weeks after the mega-projects announcement? The money has to come from somewhere... I wouldn't be surprised if we see DEWA (for expats only, of course) charges increase next year as well. After all: there's 410bn Dhs that need to be raised to pay for those debts by Emiratis as well...

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Posted by: DisgruntledUmmS Thursday, 6 December 2012 1:18 PM[UAE] - UAE

I live in Umm Suqeim. So in order to use the Metro, I need to get a taxi to the closest Metro station on SZR. It is far easier and quicker to remain in the taxi for the entire journey.

Not counting the recent hike in prices, Salik charges will add a minimum of AED 4160 to my expenses next year. Tax free jurisdiction? Really?

Incidentally, and as an aside, where are all the taxis in Umm S? Messages are not being picked up. And if they are, it is by a driver who is in a completely different area. Why is the message not relayed by the system to a driver in the vicinity? All taxis are equipped with GPS, surely this would not be too hard to do? Although, to enable this, what more will the RTA think up to charge us?

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Posted by: Andy Wednesday, 5 December 2012 1:01 PM[UAE] - USA

Taxis are government owned so they shoulder the Salik toll fees for their customers to encourage people to us public transport. In one word this is called "Greed".

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Posted by: Ria Wednesday, 5 December 2012 10:17 AM[UAE] - Dubai

This is I guess another attempt to burden us by taking one or the other pretense. This time it is taking Salik toll. We don't have any alternative other than pay whatever the taxi meter shows or if it is a toll, pay in addition to the fare. It is better to plan how much we are going to shell out on taxi rides. Usually, I use this taxi fare calculator - http://www.taxiautofare.com/ae/165/Dubai-Taxi-fare-calculator/loid . It gives us an estimate of fare as well as probable shortest routes.

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Posted by: Mr Comunter Wednesday, 5 December 2012 9:59 AM[UAE] - UAE

Interesting debate!

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