Ruler of Dubai hands taxi plate owners Dh26 million bonus

The annual payment was announced as the country prepares to mark Ramadan

Dubai taxis parked along the road. Pawan Singh / The National

The Ruler of Dubai has ordered a bonus payment of Dh26 million to the Emirati owners of more than 5,000 taxi number plates.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister, said 5,206 owners will share in the payment, which coincides with the start of Ramadan.

Before the city operated a publicly-owned taxi company, Emiratis owned individual plates and vehicles that they leased out to drivers and companies in the 1990s.

When the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) was created in 2005, it absorbed the taxi franchise. The RTA leases the vehicles it manages to half a dozen taxi companies, often recognised by their different coloured roofs.

Each year the Emirati owners receive a payment in recognition of their status.

Mattar Al Tayer, director-general of the Roads and Transport Authority, thanked Sheikh Mohammed, saying that most plate owners are "fixed income earners" and the money ensures a decent living for them and their families.