Every morning before sunrise, Mohyeddin Yousef begins a journey that takes him across three emirates. The 29-year-old Lebanese math teacher lives in Ajman, drops his children at school in Sharjah, and continues to Dubai for work.
“On normal days, it’s about an hour and a half, but if there’s an accident, it can stretch to two hours,” he said. “That means I spend three to four hours in traffic every single day. Mohyeddin is among a growing number of commuters navigating heavy traffic between the northern emirates and Dubai.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, vehicle ownership in the UAE has been rising by more than eight per cent annually — four times the global average — driven by population growth and expanding economic activity.
Officials say overlapping school and work hours have also intensified congestion across federal and local roads, particularly during the morning rush.
Over the years, Mohyeddin has experienced multiple road accidents, including one on the busy Dubai–Sharjah highway. “I’ve seen everything — twisted metal, fires, injuries, even deaths,” he said. “By the time I get to work, I’m already drained.”
The long commute has reshaped his family life. “When I get home, I’m too tired to play with my kids,” he added. “I usually sleep right after sunset just to recover, and by the time I wake up, my family is already asleep.”
For residents like Mohyeddin, the government’s Dh170-billion transport infrastructure plan — including a new national highway linking the northern emirates to Abu Dhabi — offers hope. The project aims to ease pressure on the E11 corridor and improve mobility for both commuters and freight.
He believes solutions should also include public transport expansion and housing reform. “If metro access were expanded, more people would use it,” he said. “Public transport would cost less and deliver faster results.”
Dubai resident Rashid Saif Al Bedwawi, 54, said traffic congestion has become a major obstacle to productivity. “We lose hours on the road every day,” he said. “It delays meetings, appointments, and business opportunities.”
He praised continued investment in transport infrastructure but urged stricter vehicle inspections and road safety campaigns. “The issue isn’t just the roads,” he noted. “Some cars are unsafe, and many drivers don’t follow basic rules.”
Sharjah resident Jamila Ahmed described her daily commute to Dubai as “stressful and unpredictable.” “It takes over an hour each way,” she said. “Spending so much time in traffic causes stress and physical discomfort.”
Jamila welcomed the new transport plan but urged companies to help too. “Flexible hours or remote work could ease commuter stress,” she said. “That would help just as much as new roads in improving quality of life.”