A session about the Future of taxis and ride-hailing apps was chaired by Dr Yousef Al Ali, CEO of Dubai Taxi Corporation, RTA. Topics discussed included current expansion across MENA region, How ride-hailing apps are affecting access to public transport ridership, and How authorities are dealing with ride-hailing apps across MENA in terms of regulations, laws, investments and partnerships, access to data. Topics also included How ride-hailing apps are affecting socio-economic indicators like access to jobs/education, Gender dynamics of ride-hailing in MENA, and Ride-hailing apps in the future: are they shifting to a public transport model.

Four work papers were presented in this session. The first was presented by Mohammed Abubaker AL HASHIMI Director of Planning & Business Development, RTA, about (The Experience of Dubai in shared mobility and mobility as a service- ride-hailing apps).

Ismail VADI Member of the Executive Council, Department of Roads and Transport of Gauteng, Gauteng, South Africa, about (The Informal transport in the Gauteng city region), Joseph SALEM Principal, Arthur D. Little Middle East FZ-LLC, Dubai,  about (Striking the optimal equilibrium in the ride-hailing market). Othman Mohammed ALOTHMAN Director of Implementation Support, Public Transport Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, about The role of Saudi public transport authority in regulating shared mobility services.