Around the world, there are dozens of ridesharing startups, including Uber, Grab, Cabify, and Careem.
Careem is one of the most popular taxi services alternatives in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, and with good reason.
If you’d like to learn about Careem, including what it is, how to use it, what it costs, and where it’s available, keep reading.
This article will walk you through everything you need to know about Careem, including being a driver.
What Is Careem?
Founded in 2012, Careem is one of the most popular ride-hailing services in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.
Careem operates in over 100 cities across 14 countries.
Careem tends to operate in cities that lack a strong public transportation network.
Where public transport isn’t an option, many locals are forced to rely on ridesharing services like Uber and Careem for their daily work commutes.
How to Use Careem
Like most other car booking apps, you’ll need a Careem account and the Careem app in order to hail rides.
To sign up, click on this link and enter your phone number, full name, email address, and a password of your choice.
The form automatically defaults the telephone country code of the United Arab Emirates but you can switch countries by clicking on the flag and selecting a different country and country code.
You can also sign up for an account by logging in with your Facebook account.
Next, use the app store to download the Careem app for your iPhone or Android phone.
Be sure to check regularly for the next release as feature updates are rolled out on a regular basis.
Ordering a ride on the mobile app is easy.
Just enter your pickup and drop-off locations, select your car type, and include any details your Careem Captain should know about your pickup by tapping on “+ details” next to the address.
Once you’ve ordered your ride, Careem will send you all your Captain’s details, including what car color to look out for and GPS tracking for the arrival of your Careem in real time.
You’ll also be able to share your ETA and your transit with friends and family.
You can pay for your ride with Careem using your credit card, cash, or Careem credits.
If you choose to pay in cash but don’t have the change you need, your driver can add your excess cash to your Careem wallet as Careem credits.
Once your trip has ended, Careem will ask you for feedback about your driver and your ride.
If you’d like to leave your driver a tip, you can do so in the app after rating them.
You can schedule a ride for immediate pick up or for a later time.
Careem offers a repeat function so scheduling multiple rides along the same route (say, for your daily work commute) is easy.
Careem has loyalty partners and you can earn points with them or redeem points you have with them for Careem credits by linking your Careem account with the partner account.
You can check current loyalty partners by clicking here.
What Does Careem Cost?
What your Careem ride costs depends on a few different factors, including Base Fare, Rate per Kilometer, and Rate per Waiting Hour.
No matter how short your ride is, there is always a Minimum Fare Charge amount.
What these exact numbers are depend on the country and even the city where you are hailing your ride.
You can use the Careem Fare Estimator to get a better idea of what your ride will cost prior to booking it.
When you load the Fare Estimator, it will default to Dubai.
If you aren’t in Dubai, you can change your city by clicking “Change Your Location.”
When you start typing your city, a dropdown will appear showing you the cities whose names match what you’ve typed so far in order to get an accurate fare estimate.
If your city doesn’t show up, Careem is not yet available there.
Careem also has a surcharge it calls “Peak Factor” which is a rate multiplier based on demand for rides relative to the number of drivers available to accept those rides.
At certain times, when there are more passengers than drivers (like at rush hour or during bad weather), a Peak Factor multiplier will apply.
Careem will show you what the Peak Factor is and you can choose to pay it, wait for the rush to pass, or find another mode of transportation.
Careem Promo Codes
While Careem coupon codes do exist, they vary by city and country so it’s hard to find ones that will work no matter where you are.
As with most ride-sharing services, there are always discount codes available for your first ride with Careem, which are usually for a free first ride.
Other popular special offers include free credits or free rides.
You can find working promo codes by signing up for notification emails from Careem, by checking Careem’s social media accounts, or by looking into this Facebook group where users share promo codes regularly.
How to Use Promo Codes on the Careem App
Discount codes can be entered right before booking a ride.
You cannot redeem promotional offers or discounts once the ride has been confirmed.
To use a promo code, just confirm your pickup and drop off locations, and click on “+ promo” next to your payment method.
Enter the Careem coupon code and confirm it has been applied to your ride.
Where Is Careem Available?
Careem does not currently operate in the United States, but is available in over 100 major cities across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.
The countries where you can order a ride with Careem are:
- Bahrain
- Egypt
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Morocco
- Oman
- Qatar
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Sudan
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Being a Careem Driver
Careem makes a point of hiring female drivers in several of its locations, including Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia because so many of its customers are female.
In Pakistan, 30 percent of Careem’s passengers are women and in Saudi Arabia, the number of female passengers is up to 80 percent.
Because of their tendency to hire female drivers, Careem is very popular is conservative Muslim countries and especially in cities like Karachi, Islamabad, Jeddah, Cairo, Istanbul, Riyadh, Beirut, and Lahore.
Being a Careem Driver is just like being a driver for any other ride sharing service.
You will be expected to provide safe transportation from the pick up to the drop-off location.
You’ll be required to provide airport transfers, help customers with shopping bags or luggage, and generally make the lives of people in your city easier.
Careem Driver Requirements
In order to be a Careem driver, you’ll need to meet certain company requirements.
The Careem driver requirements are:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Have an Android device with a data plan
- Have a valid driver’s license
- Have a national ID card for the country where you plan to drive
- Have vehicle registration documents
- Have insurance documents
- Have a recent profile picture for your Careem account
- Have an eligible car
What qualifies as an eligible car for Careem varies by city and country.
To check the type of car you need in your city, you can message Careem at [email protected].
Your car will also need to pass the Careem car inspection, which varies by market.
Careem will either perform the check themselves or use third-party services like Nacita in Egypt and CarSure in Pakistan.
How to Become a Careem Driver
Register to become a Careem Captain by filling out the form here.
After reviewing your application, Careem will invite you for a training session.
Once your training is complete, you’ll be activated as a Careem Captain.
At this point, you’ll be able to log into the Careem Captain app and start accepting rides and earning money right away.
Careem, the Middle Eastern Favorite
Careem tends to have more cars available, enabling them to offer better service and more low-cost rides than Uber.
This availability and affordability makes Careem more popular with riders than other Middle East ridesharing services.
Drivers like Careem because of the abundance of passengers and consistent earning opportunities, whether you prefer short-distance rides or longer trips.
For many people in countries where Careem operates, it is the clear winner over Uber and other ride-hailing apps.
Give it a try and see if you agree.
