Emirates Transport (ET) and The Routing Company (TRC), the US based on-demand vehicle routing and management platform, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop on-demand transit in the United Arab Emirates.

The signing establishes a joint strategic cooperation agreement to further smart mobility solutions, directing ET and TRC to develop and innovate shared demand responsive transport services within the UAE.

Alex Rentier, ET’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are excited to partner with TRC, a leading global innovator in digital transit solutions, and we are confident this collaboration will yield great benefits to the transport sector in the UAE over the coming few years and – in the process – help both parties achieve their strategic goals.”    

He added: “Overall, Emirates Transport is focused on expanding their digital footprint within the UAE specifically, as well as the broader GCC region. Commute-on-demand is one of the multiple ambitions that the company is exploring in combination with its software partners to further its efficiency and digitalization objectives.”

Zain Peracha, Head of Digital Ventures at Emirates Transport said: “As one of the leading and largest transport operators in the UAE, we recognize that the current transport models merely capture the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the current and future potential of this market”.

He added: “We expect radical innovation across the industry in this decade, and we are excited to establish strategic partnerships that will enable us to deliver on our values of best-in-class service and customer satisfaction, as well as our deep commitment to develop operational efficiencies and greatly expand electric vehicle options within our fleet”.  

The MoU’s intended outcome is to launch at least one pilot service in the region within 2023 to effectively evaluate performance, mutual fit and future areas of focus. These include improving customer satisfaction and convenience, illustrating high-capacity ride sharing safety in the UAE, improving operational efficiency and more.

James Cox, Chief Executive Officer at TRC said: “Through this agreement, TRC will work closely with Emirates Transport to advance smart mobility solutions – including collaboration on the study, development and deployment of on-demand transportation services in the UAE,”.

“With a population nearing 10 million that continues to grow at a record pace, the UAE is constantly pursuing more efficient, safe, affordable and convenient ways to move people. Our partnership with ET aims to achieve just this: sustainable movement at scale,” he added. According to Cox, TRC will leverage its full suite of Pingo products – including features such as Pingo Campus™ and Pingo Journey™ – to provide enhanced mobility services with ET, namely operating on-demand and shuttle pilots. TRC’s Pingo Campus™ feature is ideal for shuttle operation, allowing riders to track available shuttles in a specified area in real time, while utilizing Pingo Journey™ to find other public transit options and plan onward multimodal transit journeys.