Adem Olu Sanyado, a Cameroonian resident of Al Nahda in Sharjah, relied on an e-scooter for his commute from his residence to Stadium Metro Station. Carrying his e-scooter with him, he would disembark at Abu Bakr Siddique metro station and continue his journey to his office using the same e-scooter.
However, after the ban on e-scooters on the Metro, Adem has to walk for over 25 minutes from Abu Bakar Siddique metro station to his office. “I work as a security guard at a public organisation. I reached the office in just 10 minutes by e-scooter earlier. But now it takes over 25 minutes by walk,” said Adem.
“When I learned about the ban, I was stressed. As the temperatures are lower, I can easily walk for now. But during summer, it will be next to impossible to walk,” said Adem.
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Typically used for the short distance between home and the metro station, these electric scooters served as a convenient and eco-friendly mode of transportation. Commuters relying on electric scooters for their last-mile journey in Dubai are facing unexpected challenges due to the ban on e-scooters inside Dubai Metro and Tram stations. The ban, which was effective from March 1, left these micro-mobility users scrambling for alternatives.
Many residents have resorted to more expensive options such as taking a cab, which costs around Dh15 to Dh20 per journey. Sofia Mary Kanlas, a Filipina working as a receptionist at an office in Ubora Towers in Business Bay has to depend on the cab for her last-mile journey now.
“I spent more than Dh15 for a single trip using a cab from the Business Bay metro station to my office. This means I have to shell out more than Dh350 a month only for the last mile journey. The walk from my home to the Mall of the Emirates Metro Station is just 10 minutes. However, if I choose to walk to the office, it becomes challenging as it takes over 30 minutes,” said Kanlas.
“I can’t rely on the bus because it’s always overcrowded during the peak hours. Moreover, there’s a 20-minute gap between each bus departing from the metro station. On March 4, I waited for two buses before finally boarding one, wasting nearly an hour of my time,” added Kanlas, who takes a bus to the metro station on return.
“We’re unable to carry the e-scooters now. I have invested Dh1,200 in a new e-scooter and parked it at my business establishment. This allows me to easily navigate around Deira for work,” said Zain. “I require it at home as well, for tasks such as going to mosques and household shopping,”said Zain Mohamed, a businessman and a resident of Al Bannai Tower in Al Nahda, Dubai.
“This unexpected change has disrupted the daily routines of many commuters who relied on e-scooters for their daily commute within the business district. This e-scooter has become the lifeline of many residents here for traveling short distances, we can’t even bring the e-scooters from home now,” added Zain.