It’s a choice between spending more money on petrol or paying toll charges. For some motorists, they find it more economical to take longer routes and avoid Salik to save some money on their daily commute.
Take the case, for example, of Abdul Qadir, 38, who is the sole breadwinner of his family. With a modest income, every dirham matters for him. For his daily commute between Abu Shagara area of Sharjah and Al Barsha for his work, he pays Dh8 daily or Dh208 a month for driving through Al Mamzar Salik gates.
With the addition of new Salik gate on Business Bay in November, his toll expenses is expected to double to Dh16 a day or Dh416 a month. This additional cost of Dh208 is equivalent to his two weeks of petrol cost.
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“I’m thinking of leaving early before the traffic rush starts. Instead of taking Al Ittihad Road, I am considering Al Nahda Road as I would avoid the Al Mamzar toll gate cost. I might be spending a bit more on petrol, but that will be a smaller amount when compared to the toll costs,” Qadir told Khaleej Times.
This, according to his calculation, would help him save at least Dh170 a month.
“It is very important for people with meagre incomes to cut costs and save money,” he noted, adding that he rarely takes Sheikh Zayed Road to avoid the toll fee, unless it is extremely urgent.
Worth the extra distance
Adnan Mehmood, an IT professional living in Dubai, has come up with several options to avoid Salik tolls. His strategies change depending on where he’s starting from and where he’s going.
When travelling to Abu Dhabi or Jebel Ali, Adnan takes the E311, also known as Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. He explained: “If I’m heading towards Abu Dhabi or Jebel Ali, I take the E311. It’s a longer route, but it helps me avoid the Salik charges. Sometimes it’s worth the extra distance to save on tolls.”
For trips towards Dubai Marina or JLT, Adnan takes the Jumeirah Road. “It helps me avoid Salik charges and also I get a nice view of the city.”
Adnan, however, said that sometimes it’s better to pay the tolls to save time. “If you’re in a hurry and need to get to work on time, paying Salik might be worth it to save you time and help you arrive on schedule,” he admitted.
Feasible for sedan
M. Khan, a 28-year-old professional working in Dubai, said taking or avoiding Salik depends on your vehicle. If you have a car which consumes more fuel, taking a longer route to avoid Salik tolls may end up costing you more.
“For people like me who have smaller cars, it’s more feasible to avoid tolls and take a slightly longer route, said Khan, who noted that using Google Maps smartly can help save costs.
“I use Google Maps to find routes that avoid Salik tolls. I simply select the option for Salik-free routes, and the app guides me along the best routes to avoid the toll gates. It’s a simple but effective way to keep my travel costs down,” he shared.
Khan also take intercity roads when possible. “These roads are usually well-maintained and can help me bypass Salik gates. Even though they might be longer, avoiding the tolls makes it worth it. Jumeirah Road and Al Wasl Road are both good routes that help me avoid paying Salik charges,” he noted.
Minimising impact on business
Meanwhile, Fahad, a businessman who commutes daily from Al Furjan to International City in Dubai, told Khaleej Times how the new Salik toll gates will impact his daily operations and finances.
“The new Salik gates are likely to make traffic smoother, but they’ll also put a big hole in my pocket. Currently, we pay between Dh600 and Dh1,000 daily in Salik charges for our fleet of rental vehicles. With the addition of the two new gates, this amount is expected to rise to between Dh1,000 and Dh1,500. I’m exploring alternative routes and will be discussing options with my team to find ways to reduce the toll expenses,” he said.
He added his choice of routes depends on the situation as well as on the fuel prices. “If I’m in a hurry, like when I have a meeting or need to be punctual at the office, I prioritise saving time and pay tolls. As they say, time is money. But when time is less of an issue, avoiding Salik gates is a smart way to cut costs.”
For Abeer, an aviation professional who commutes regularly from Muhaisnah 1 to Garhoud, she noted motorists and commuters can adapt to the changes of the new Salik toll gates. She said: “Adding two more Salik gates will likely improve traffic conditions even further. However, this also means additional expenses for motorists, which can be a burden.”
Abeer suggested: “Carpooling can be an excellent way to save on Salik and fuel expenses. Instead of each colleague driving their own car to the office, they can share one vehicle. For example, they could rotate carpooling every 10 days. This way, the costs are divided among several people, making it more manageable.”
“Another option is to move closer to your office. Living nearer can significantly reduce travel time and expenses, including Salik charges and fuel costs. I hope that private sector companies will also recognise the financial impact of these new Salik gates and provide additional allowances to help cover the extra expenses,” she added.