The Dubai Taxi organisation is has confirmed that it will be increasing the number of taxis in Dubai for special needs passengers to make their transportation throughout the emirate more comfortable. Labeled as ‘Special Wheel for a Special Need’, the Dubai Special Needs Taxis displayed at the Transport Exhibition at the Dubai World Trade Centre has many features including a wheel chair, special access platforms and flexible seating arrangement to accommodate the physically-challenged passengers and their companions.
Demonstrating the Dubai Special Need Taxi Service, Fleet Operations Director Yousuf Al Ali announced that there are currently 4 taxis dedicated for handicapped and special needs passengers in Dubai. Wheelchair bound passengers and especially those who travel through Dubai International Airport can also use the special taxis in Dubai. Dubai Taxi drivers will of course offer any passenger requiring this service a helping hand.
The Special Needs Taxis are part of several initiatives recently taken by the Dubai Taxi agency to improve customer service. Their objective is to devote 1% of their fleet for the handicapped and special need passengers in Dubai. 2 taxis were added last year for handicapped people and a further 2 new taxis have been added this year for passengers requiring special assistance in Dubai.
The Special assistance Dubai Taxi service has been used mainly by wheelchair-bound elderly people undergoing treatment in hospitals. One of the 4 vehicles can be used as a taxi as well as a special needs taxi and since the special needs features are inside the vehicle it is difficult to distinguish the ordinary taxis from the special needs taxis.
Dubai Taxi drivers are given special training to handle special needs customers who can book in advance through various channels.
On average the Dubai Taxi agency receive requests for around 3 trips per day for a special needs vehicle in Dubai. The vehicles include an electric wheel chair elevator, auto lift for comfortable movement in and out of the big van and special seating for companion.
The special needs taxi service in Dubai is available 24-hours a day from Dubai Airport with a starting fare of Dh25. From 6am to 10pm, the starting meter will be Dh6 from anywhere in Dubai and at night 10pm to 6am, a starting fare of Dh7 applies. The designated disabled taxis in Dubai have a universal special needs blue icon logo placed on the side passenger doors and back window.
Another initiative to improve customer service is to provide a bottle of mineral water for customers using taxis in Dubai during the summer period and a trial run has been going on with Al Ain water to give one bottle of mineral water to the customers using Dubai Taxis from Dubai Airport.
The joint venture of Al Ain Water and Dubai Taxi has been introduced as a trial basis and around 350 Dubai Airport Taxis are giving out one bottle of mineral water to each Dubai airport passenger. The mineral water is provided by Al Ain Water and the cost of Dh2 will simply be added to the meter. Dubai Taxis are selling the mineral water at much cheaper rates than 5 star hotels. The facility may be expanded to other taxis in Dubai depending on the feedback from the trial run which started recently.
The Dubai Taxi agency has also started displaying leaflets detailing the customer rights as well as the driver rights. The leaflets are in English and Arabic and provide all the details of customer rights and driver rights.