Dubai bars trucks from key roads at peak times from 1 October

Trucks have been kept off a number of Dubai roads at set hours since 1 October 2026. Dubai Police General Headquarters and the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced the rules on 26 September. Emirates Road is exempt, so trucks can still use it at any time.

There are three levels of restriction. Al Qudra Street, Al Meydan Street, Airport Tunnel and all crossings are closed to trucks around the clock. Sheikh Zayed Road, Beirut Street and the residential districts of Muhaisnah, Al Mizhar and Oud Al Muteena are off limits from 6am to 10pm. On Airport Street, Oman Street and Damascus Street, trucks are banned in three daily windows: 6:30 to 8:30 in the morning, 1 to 3 in the afternoon and 5:30 to 8 in the evening. The RTA says timings can differ by corridor, area and congestion level.

Companies that must move a truck during banned hours can apply for a permit on the RTA website, issued by its Right-of-Way department, for essential cases only. Drivers are told to wait at designated truck rest stops instead. Fourteen of 16 planned rest stops are finished. Seven of them gained 364 bays, taking their capacity to 1,007. Four more permanent rest areas are planned with private partners. The RTA says over 150,000 trucks use the stops each month, while Dubai sees roughly 400,000 truck trips a day.

For anyone driving their own or a rented car, the change means fewer heavy vehicles on Sheikh Zayed Road during the day and on the main city streets at rush hour. The RTA expects shorter journey times and less congestion, and it is running an awareness campaign with Dubai Police for drivers and haulage firms.

The RTA published the rules, and Gulf News and Khaleej Times reported them in detail.