Pakistani taxi drivers, others praised as Dubai declares 2025 lost-and-found statistics

DUBAI: More than AED 2 million (approximately Rs152.4 million) in cash, around 35,000 electronic devices and 3,000 passports were recovered from taxis in Dubai last year, the emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said, after handling over 104,000 lost-property reports across the city.

The reports were managed by the RTA’s Lost and Found Team at its Call Centre, which works closely with taxi companies and drivers to trace and return forgotten belongings to passengers.

The authority said the system relies on verifying trip details, tracking vehicle movements and coordinating directly with drivers to locate missing items, with most belongings found and owners contacted within two hours of a report being filed.

Commonly recovered items included:

a) Cash exceeding AED 2 million (Rs152.4 million)

b) 35,000 smartphones, laptops and tablets

c) 3,000 passports and official documents

d) Jewellery and other valuable personal belongings

The Call Centre provides services in several languages, including Arabic, English, Urdu, Hindi, Filipino, French, Chinese and Russian, making it accessible to Dubai’s diverse population — including the large Pakistani driver community working in the taxi sector.

The officials said many taxi drivers, including Pakistanis, have demonstrated exceptional honesty by promptly handing in lost items, helping ensure their safe return to owners.

Pakistani taxi drivers, who form a significant part of Dubai’s transport workforce, are widely regarded as among the most honest and cooperative, according to industry feedback and passenger experiences.