DUBAI: Dubai’s commercial transport scene is shifting gears in 2024, with commercial vehicle growth surging 43% and vehicle rental companies rising by 33%, according to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
The numbers are impressive. A total of 867 new rental firms were registered this year, pushing the total to 3,494 active companies—up from 2,627 in 2023. The rental fleet itself ballooned to 71,040 vehicles, compared to 49,725 the previous year.
RTA also saw strong growth in high-end vehicle rentals, up 73%, and electric vehicles in the rental fleet, which increased by 50%. All of this fits into the bigger goal of supporting Dubai’s D33 Economic Agenda to make the city a top-three global economic hub.
Ahmed Mahboob, CEO of RTA’s Licensing Agency, said this sharp commercial vehicle growth reflects Dubai’s business appeal and the emirate’s commitment to economic acceleration. “We’re making it easier for investors and companies to operate here, giving them confidence to expand,” he added.
RTA has introduced multiple initiatives to keep this momentum going. One of them—the Commercial Vehicle Life Extension Service—allows firms to extend vehicle registration for an extra year after inspection, even if they’ve hit their age limit.
Another is the Hourly Commercial Vehicle Rental Service, letting individuals and companies rent commercial vehicles by the hour. It’s a flexible move that ensures safer, more efficient services.
And for investors? The new Commercial Licensing System (CLS) simplifies the entire application process, making it quicker, more transparent, and easier to get approval.
All signs point to one thing—Dubai is becoming a magnet for the commercial transport sector, and the RTA is riding shotgun all the way.
