Dubai: Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), announced that Dubai's commercial transport sector recorded significant growth in 2025, exceeding 40% in the number of licensed companies compared with 2024. The total number of vehicles registered in the sector surpassed 500,000, reflecting an increase of approximately 25%. The direct contribution of the commercial transport sector to Dubai's economy exceeded AED 8.4 billion annually.
According to Emirates News Agency, the number of licensed commercial transport companies rose from 12,100 in 2024 to 16,917 in 2025, underscoring the expansion of the sector's business base and sustained investor confidence in Dubai's economic landscape. These results reaffirm the emirate's established position as a leading global hub for transport and logistics.
This growth has been driven by several strategic factors, most notably accelerated digital transformation, the wider deployment of smart solutions, rising demand for app-based delivery services, and the continued expansion of logistics operations, vehicle rental services, and related commercial transport activities. These trends reflect the evolution of trade patterns and global supply chains.
The sector's performance aligns with the objectives of the Dubai Commercial and Logistics Land Transport Strategy 2030, which aims to strengthen the sector's contribution to sustainable economic development and consolidate its role as a fundamental pillar of Dubai's integrated economic ecosystem.
In 2025, several strategic initiatives were launched that strengthened the sector's social and economic indicators. Most notably, RTA introduced a comprehensive regulatory framework governing the operation of autonomous heavy vehicles within the logistics sector, supporting the adoption of advanced technologies and reinforcing Dubai's competitiveness in advanced transport.
RTA has launched the digital 'Logisty' platform for logistics operations, achieving strong market uptake and growing engagement among operators and users. The platform received the ideasUK Idea of the Year 2025 - Innovation Award, reflecting Dubai's leadership in delivering advanced digital solutions for logistics management.
As part of its sustainability agenda, RTA signed a partnership agreement to establish a network of battery-swapping stations for delivery bikes, accelerating the shift towards low-emission mobility solutions. RTA developed a network of dedicated rest areas for delivery drivers, enhancing road safety and supporting improved working conditions.
The sustained growth of the commercial transport sector reflects rising confidence in Dubai's business environment and reinforces the emirate's position as a leading global hub for transport and logistics. This momentum advances sustainable economic development and consolidates the sector's role as a key engine of growth.
RTA remains committed to strengthening the governance of commercial transport activities, fostering strategic partnerships with the private sector, and streamlining commercial licensing procedures to support the leadership's vision for Dubai as a leading global hub for business and trade.
The commercial transport sector contributes more than AED 8.4 billion annually to Dubai's economy and represents a fundamental pillar of the emirate's economic system. It plays a pivotal role in advancing the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) by facilitating the movement of goods, enhancing global supply chain efficiency, strengthening Dubai's global competitiveness, and generating positive social and environmental impacts.
Continued innovation, deeper integration between the public and private sectors, and broader adoption of advanced technologies and smart solutions will propel the commercial transport sector to new levels of growth. This will reinforce Dubai's leadership in commercial transport and land logistics, attract investment, and ensure the sustainability of business activities across economic sectors.