Kasun Illankoon spoke to Clemence Dutertre, CEO of Hala, on how the joint venture between Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) and Careem offers an innovative way to book a Dubai Taxi on the Careem app
Inception of Hala
Hala is a joint venture between Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) and Careem that offers an innovative way to book a Dubai Taxi on the Careem app. Hala e-hailing service offers riders access to the most available and convenient travel in Dubai at the touch of a button.
Recently, it achieved its landmark one-millionth trip booked through the e-hailing service on 9 September.
Highlighting the significance of the remarkable achievement, Clemence Dutertre, CEO of Hala, said: “This is indeed a key moment for us. It reflects the incredibly positive reception our service has had in Dubai, being embraced by riders as a booking method they have been waiting for, and have now made Hala their first choice.”
As the CEO, Clemence will be driving adoption of the smarter way to hail an RTA Dubai Taxi on the Careem app. Her goal is for Hala to become top-of-mind for anyone looking to get around the city quickly and safely, at the best value. She will also be responsible for the growth of the brand and will oversee the smooth operation of the service.
“Hala enables residents and visitors of Dubai to locate the closest Dubai Taxi on demand, see a fare estimate and time of arrival before booking their ride. It offers the rider advantages such as knowing the trip route and being able to share the trip details with others. Riders can see the car and driver information and can rate the service and driver. They can also connect their credit card for easy, hassle-free payment via the Careem app. Hala provides riders who book a Dubai Taxi on the Careem app the full Careem app benefits, including Careem loyalty program Rewards,” said Clemence Dutertre.
The collaboration between RTA and Careem – a first of its kind in the GCC between a public transport authority and a private company – was envisioned to uplift the public transport network and sharing mobility. Hala is driven by the mission to progress public transportation by harnessing and leveraging the power of progressive and emerging technologies to make public transportation safe, seamless and available to get people to wherever they work, rest or play.
Goals and Objective
“Our goal is for Hala e-hailing service to be the primary mobility choice people think of when they want to get from point A to point B and will empower and enable our customers with access to world-class technology and a seamless safer journey. We want Hala’s successful model and implementation in Dubai to inspire other cities as we expand into the region,” said Clemence.
“Hala aspires to revolutionize the way people move around by taxi. Our long-term vision is to grow and offer innovative mobility to redefine the way people move around their cities.
We want to transform transportation by tapping into multi-modal public transport and take Hala’s success to cross other cities in the UAE and the region,” Clemence elaborated.
Hala Services
Hala offers the same price per km as street hailed Taxis, with a starting fare starting from 8 AED during regular hours to 12 AED during peak hours, with no multiplier price surge. Customers can enjoy a more affordable choice, with the same benefits as the Careem app including the Rewards program. Hala also offers less downtime for the Captains who can optimize their time on the road through customer proximity matching and real-time alerts of geographical areas experiencing high demand.
“We are empowering our customers with knowledge and choice, at the best value. Street hailing or call center booking customers can now book a ride through the touch of a button directly on the Careem app. They can enjoy a shorter estimated time of arrival of fewer than 5 minutes and can know the fare estimate upfront, the driver’s details, and journey route,” Clemence explained.
Empowering their customers is at the forefront for Clemence whose proven track record as an energetic leader with an unwavering passion for designing and implementing great customer experiences, backed by solid precedence in building successful brands. She believes that the key to success lies in ownership, transparency and empowering people.
Every project of this scale presents opportunities to learn and improve, and we hope to resolve existing traffic concerns and challenges that come within the e-hailing service domain. We will continue to prioritize the customer journey to improve efficiencies with sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions.