Cameras to spot illegal taxi service in Dubai

Dubai - RTA's Government Innovation Lab generates 21 ideas.

A camera to spot illegal taxi service and 20 other innovative ideas were generated to improve services of Road And Transport Authority (RTA) at the first session of the Government Innovation Lab.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said: "The Innovation Lab, featuring the participation of several CEOs, directors of the RTA as well as university students and representative of Ernst and Young Consultancies, has generated 21 ideas covering four agencies (six ideas for the Licensing Agency, and five ideas for each of the Traffic and Roads Agency, Rail Agency, and Public Transport Agency). Following discussions and reviewing such ideas and initiatives, 8 ideas were endorsed, 7 ideas would be subjected to more studies, and 6 ideas were eliminated."
Currently, the RTA is offering 66 services to the business sector deliverable via several channels: 27 through smart-phones, 23 through the website, 53 through customers' service centres, 17 through the Call Center (8009090), 6 through RTA departments, and 2 via the self-service system.
"RTA will embark on the implementation of the Innovation Lab ideas as early as next September. Among the key ideas and initiatives that will be implemented is the smart system of managing billboards, which will cut short the frequent visits to RTA customers' service centres," Al Tayer added.
One of the initiatives put forward is 'Akas', a fitting on an RTA vehicle with cameras and surveillance systems for spotting illegal taxi practitioners.
"The array of initiatives also include Your Business Manager calling for appointing dedicated account managers for companies depending on the classification of their scope of work in order to follow-up their needs and offer excellent services to them," he said.
Initiatives to be implemented this year also include preparing an electronic guide for investment opportunities in Dubai Metro stations and launch of the second generation of the car parking tariff.
"In 2016 and 2017 the RTA will implement three initiatives including the e-Limo system relating to the automation of procedures enabling Limo firms process their transactions online. The second is Test and Drive initiative enabling the motorist to leave the test facility upon the completion of the technical testing of the vehicle where the centre will cater to the rest of procedures including the dispatch of the registration card by post. In the third quarter of 2016, the RTA will introduce the Smart Service Centres involving the opening of RTA counters at the premises of mega firms for processing transactions of RTA services.
"The RTA will subject 7 ideas and initiatives to further studying. These include offering Ladies Limo service targeting businesswomen, authorising approved auto dealers in the UAE to carry out the technical testing of vehicles and the Last Kilometer transport services which provide convenient transit means shuttling between rail stations and destinations," explained Al Tayer.
Al Tayer further stated that the RTA would hold in the current year 7 innovation labs across affiliated agencies and sectors. The first lab will consider how to cope with the congestion experienced by the Dubai Metro, and the second lab will discuss limiting visits to customers service centres by 80 per cent in 2018. The third lab will discuss the technical testing of vehicles and the fourth one will examine traffic bottlenecks. The fifth lab will review improvement projects of marine transport systems, the sixth will focus on simplifying services and procedures for Nol card holders, and the seventh will look into the outlines of RTA's Strategic Plan 2030.
Located at the premises of Dubai Tram at Al Safouh, RTA's Innovation Lab is the first government innovation lab in Dubai.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com