Post-Pandemic Hiring Surge Fuels Increased Traffic and Population Growth
In 2023, motorists across the UAE experienced significant traffic congestion, with delays ranging from 8 to 33 hours. According to the latest data from Inrix, the post-pandemic surge in population and economic activity has led to longer commute times throughout the country.
Traffic jams have notably increased the time lost by drivers in 2023 compared to the previous year. In Dubai, drivers spent 33 hours stuck in traffic last year, up from 22 hours in 2022, as the city’s population grew by nearly 100,000 in 2023. “Traffic has definitely increased in 2023-2024. It used to take an hour to reach Sheikh Zayed Road from Sharjah in the morning and 2 hours to return home in the evening. But now it takes nearly one-and-a-half hour in the morning and more than two hours on my way back,” said Anum Noor, a long-time UAE resident who commutes daily between the two emirates for work.
Waqas Saghar, who delivers goods across Dubai and Sharjah, echoed these sentiments: “Traffic within the emirates of Dubai and Sharjah has also increased. I deliver goods to customers across different locations in the two emirates daily; I barely manage to complete my work within my time because of the increased traffic.”
Data from Dubai toll operator Salik corroborates this trend, showing an increase in registered vehicles from 3.7 million at the end of 2022 to 4.0 million by the end of 2023.
In Abu Dhabi, motorists experienced 20 hours of traffic delays, up from 12 hours in 2022. Other emirates also saw increases: Umm Al Quwain drivers lost 15 hours (up from 2 hours), Al Ain motorists faced 9 hours (down from 11 hours), and Fujairah drivers lost 8 hours (up from 6 hours). Abu Dhabi’s population growth has been rapid, surpassing Dubai in 2024 to reach nearly 3.8 million.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, a hiring spree across various sectors in the UAE has driven economic growth, population increases, and subsequently more traffic.
To address the congestion, the UAE plans to launch an air taxi transport system next year, reducing travel time between Dubai and Abu Dhabi to just 30 minutes and shortening commute times within the emirates.
The study, which analysed 947 urban areas worldwide, focused on commute times to and from major employment centers within urban areas. Globally, New York topped the 2023 Inrix Global Traffic Scorecard, with drivers losing 101 hours to traffic jams, down from 105 hours in 2022. This congestion cost the city more than $9.1 billion in lost time.
New York was followed by Mexico City, London, Paris, and Chicago in terms of congestion. London dropped from second to third place, Paris from third to fourth, and Mexico City rose from fourth to second.
Overall, traffic congestion increased in 2023 across the world. Out of the 947 urban areas analyzed, delays grew in 78 percent, decreased in 19 percent, and remained unchanged in 3 percent.
