Careem, the leading ride-hailing service in the Middle East and North Africa, announced this month that it has launched in a new market, the Kingdom of Bahrain, enhancing its growing presence in the GCC region.
Careem’s expansion took place in partnership with Arabian Taxi, the first full taxi service company established in Bahrain. Since it was established in 2008, Arabian Taxi has contributed to supporting economic and community development with genuine intentions to modernize and develop the public transportation sector in Bahrain. The company provides an additional fixed income to its shareholders, including mainly elderly, retired drivers, widows, and minors, who represent 80% of the total equity of the company, while the other 20% is allocated to Bahrain Development Bank. Arabian Taxi also offers numerous work opportunities to Bahraini nationals, which goes in line with Careem’s values and strategic vision to create more jobs in the region.
Commenting on the occasion, General Manager of Emerging Markets at Careem Ibrahim Manna said, “Moving into Bahrain is a big step for Careem, falling under our plans and strategies for further expansion in the region, through which we have achieved a monthly growth rate of 30%. By including the Bahraini market, we will achieve our goals and vision of simplifying people’s lives through our innovative solutions using technology based on multi-entity collaboration within the transportation sector, thus increasing the number of job opportunities available.”
Manna continued by saying, “We consider the Bahraini market one of the most vital markets, and we are eager to provide it with a reliable, safe, convenient, and affordable transportation service by allowing customers to book a car through the Careem app from any location at any time.”
The Assistant General Manager of Careem in the GCC, Sammy Hassan, said, “We are proud to enter into this partnership with Arabian Taxi, which emphasizes the trust that large transportation companies have in Careem. It also serves to highlight their belief in Careem’s success and promising future growth, which are the result of efficient and high-quality services that seek to redefine the concept of transportation and ride-hailing. Some of the advantages of our service include the ability to conveniently choose between riding ‘now’ or ‘later,’ allowing them to book in advance, and letting riders choose to pay by cash, credit card, or with previously collected Careem credits.”
Tawfeeq AlQattan, Managing Director of Arabian Taxi, added, “Our partnership with Careem empowers stakeholders of the transportation sector to optimize their business model in line with the vision for future transportation in Bahrain. With Careem, we will be able to provide greater access to convenient, reliable, and quick means of transportation. Captains, whose numbers will be increased, will also witness a parallel increase in their earnings. This partnership is vital for both companies’ future expansion plans, as it will grow the desire for employment as a taxi driver and subsequently lead to an increase in Arabian Taxi’s fleet size.”
Careem is the region’s leading app-based car service that provides reliable, safe, convenient, and affordable transportation choices. Customers can book a car through the Careem app, on the website, or by calling a call center. Offering a more accessible, high-quality transport option that operates on a real-time platform, Careem is a pioneering company in the region’s nascent “sharing economy;” its mission is to make people’s lives simpler by revolutionizing the transportation and logistics industry in the region.