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Dubai's public transport targets get ambitious

Dubai - A campaign to reduce road congestion yields results

Dubai has long been plagued by traffic jams, with gridlocked roads costing the economy upwards of $800 million per year through lost productivity, according to a study by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
To resolve traffic problems, the RTA has adopted a two-pronged approach, introducing smart solutions across Dubai's public transport network, while also strengthening related infrastructure.
A growing population and the approaching Dubai Expo 2020 event have given the emirate's efforts added impetus.
There are signs that the authority's campaign is working. Public transport as a share of all travel in Dubai rose from six per cent in 2006 to around 15 per cent last year, the RTA said, putting the emirate on track to meet a target of 20 per cent by 2020. The emirate is looking to boost the contribution further to 30 per cent by 2030.
Technology is playing a growing role in Dubai's public transport operations. Initiatives introduced include a system for overseeing traffic signal timings using real-time traffic flow information. CCTV cameras are supporting the drive.
The RTA has launched more than 170 smart services as part of a rollout of traffic apps. One navigation app, Smart Drive, which allows for the sharing of real-time traffic information and route advice in both Arabic and English, is proving popular.
Smart Parking, meanwhile, lets drivers pay online to park, while also providing useful information, such as availability of spaces.
Mattar Al Tayer, director-general of the RTA, is convinced that the use of new technology is improving service provision and encouraging greater take-up of public transport.
"These applications use business as well as technical solutions that enable RTA's customers to access its services from anywhere at any time and deliver a better experience for the user," he said.
In addition, point-of-sale (PoS) machines have been installed in the majority of taxis in Dubai to facilitate electronic payment, with 8,000 vehicles equipped with the payment solution as of the end of February, according to the RTA.
Abdulla Qassem, group COO of Emirates National Bank of Dubai and chairman of payment solutions provider Network International, expects the PoS machines to increase the penetration of technology. "By the end of the year, we expect 20 to 30 per cent of taxi users to pay their fare by debit or credit card," he said.
Private firms join drive
Private sector players are also turning to technology to move their operations forward.
Christopher Free, Uber's general manager for the UAE and Qatar, said the local mobile car-hire service could benefit from expanding its app-driven offer by introducing a carpooling system. "Pool rides could see many cars taken off Dubai's roads and reduce expenses for commuters," Free said.
The push to upgrade both technological services and infrastructure has been galvanised by Dubai's rising population, which has doubled in the decade to 2016 to nearly 2.5m, as well as preparations for hosting Dubai Expo 2020.
The preparations for the six-month expo have seen the emirate sharpen its focus on creating a smooth-flowing transport system to accommodate visitors.
"With Dubai Expo 2020 on the horizon, transportation infrastructure in the emirate will need to expand significantly in order to successfully accommodate the huge influx of people," Mudassir Sheikha, co-founder of Careem, one of the leading mobile car-hire services companies in the region, said. "In order to build this infrastructure most efficiently, smart solutions will be key, along with a strong focus on affordability and convenience."
Organisers expect the event to attract around 25 million attendees, many of whom - an estimated 70 per cent - will be coming from abroad. Smart solutions will be pivotal for providing visitors with travel and transport information for navigating the expo.

The writer is managing editor for the Middle East at Oxford Business Group. Views expressed are his own and do not reflect the newspaper's policies.