With October 1 approaching and new fuel prices about to take effect, many Dubai motorists rushed to petrol stations on Tuesday to top up their tanks at the current rate before the increase kicks in for Special 95 petrol and diesel.
Dubai resident Annie Varghese said her SUV's tank was not even empty, having filled it up just the previous Sunday, but she decided to fill up again anyway because, in her words, every dirham matters right now. She said she paid Dh67 for 18 litres of fuel at the current rate. Similar caution was seen among other drivers who chose to top off their vehicles fully before the new pricing takes hold.
A driver working for a tourism company said filling up an entire fleet of vehicles ahead of the price change could save around Dh55 to Dh60 per car. He added that for companies running several vehicles, those savings add up meaningfully over the course of a month.
Fuel prices in the UAE are set monthly by the country's fuel price committee, based on global oil market movements. The adjustments directly affect the daily costs faced by drivers, transport companies and taxi operators nationwide. Analysts advise motorists to plan refuelling and travel around the monthly announcement dates to manage fuel expenses more effectively.