Dubai unveils plan for 3 massive truck rest areas

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced a public–private partnership to build three large truck rest areas across the emirate covering more than 210,000 square metres and with combined capacity for 490 trucks and heavy vehicles. The three facilities — sited near Jebel Ali 3, at Saih Shuaib by the entrance to Dubai Industrial City (DIC), and in Madinat Hind 2 along Emirates Road adjacent to Al Tayy Racetrack — will offer driver accommodation, maintenance centres, testing and training facilities, commercial services, electric vehicle charging and diesel refuelling, RTA officials said on 5 April 2026.

"With more than 500,000 truck trips recorded daily on roads," Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said, "internal truck movement within the emirate accounts for approximately 83 per cent of total truck traffic, while the number of registered trucks in Dubai has reached 85,000, which reflects the growing demand for specialised infrastructure to support this vital sector."

The project is positioned as a response to rapid growth in freight and logistics activity through Dubai. The three large rest areas will be complemented by a wider network of 14 smaller truck rest areas that the RTA, in collaboration with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), has developed across six strategic corridors and logistics hubs. Those corridors include Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Emirates Road, Dubai–Hatta Road, Dubai–Al Ain Road, Jebel Ali–Lehbab Road and Al Awir Road.

Site-by-site breakdown

• Jebel Ali 3: The largest facility at 100,000 square metres, with capacity for up to 250 trucks and heavy vehicles. Planned components include a heavy vehicle testing centre, a driver training centre focused on safety requirements, a light vehicle maintenance centre, a periodic maintenance facility, retail outlets, logistics warehouses, accommodation, recreational lounges, electric vehicle charging points and diesel refuelling stations.
• Saih Shuaib (near DIC entrance): Approximately 51,000 square metres with capacity for about 120 trucks. Facilities will feature accommodation, a periodic maintenance centre, retail outlets, logistics warehouses, recreational lounges and electric vehicle charging points.
• Madinat Hind 2 (Emirates Road): More than 59,000 square metres, accommodating around 120 trucks. Planned offerings include a heavy vehicle testing centre, a driver training centre, periodic maintenance, retail outlets, logistics warehouses, accommodation, recreational lounges and EV charging points.

Separately, the 14 rest areas rolled out with ADNOC span between 5,000 and 10,000 square metres each and are sized to host between 30 and 40 trucks, the RTA said. The locations were identified through technical studies that prioritized proximity to key corridors and major logistics hubs to provide a secure environment for drivers and freight operations.

Officials framed the programme as part of a broader strategy to reinforce Dubai’s position in regional and global supply chains. "The freight and logistics sector in the UAE represents a strategic pillar and a key driver of sustainable economic growth, as well as a core enabler of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. It reinforces the emirate’s position as a global hub for trade and supply chains," Mr Al Tayer added, signalling that the rest-area network is intended to support long-term logistics capacity and safety on the emirate’s roads.