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RTA unveils experimental version of Nol Contact Card

The system will enable public transport users to use their mobile phones in paying transit fares.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has unveiled an experimental version of NoL Contact Card, an exclusive type of NoL card affixed to both smart and ordinary mobile phones enabling public transport users to use their mobile phones in paying transit fares.

RTA is seeking public opinion while exhibiting this yet-to-be launched service. An earlier version was launched last year specifically for use in smart phones.

Khalid Al Awadi, Director of Fare Collection, RTA Technical Support Services Sector said: “NoL Contact Card can easily be affixed to any components of mobile phones and can be easily removed. More importantly, this card doesn’t need downloading any software to the standard or smart mobile phones, thus the user has to only use it once attached (Tap & Go). Accordingly this card has the potential to act as a future payment means the RTA is considering to add to the existing NoL card and Smart NoL card; which is based on Near Field Connection (NFC) technology.”

“NoL Contact Card can be used with ordinary and smart phones and will have the features of the standard NoL card, and can be better used to suit the needs of people on the go. Through NoL card technologies, the RTA managed in a short time to break the conventional means of paying the fares of the metro, public buses and the water bus; which required paying the price of the ticket in advance.

“Since the RTA launched the Smart Nol Card in Gitex 2013 to benefit from the NFC technology, public transport users in Dubai have been able to use their smart phones to pay the fare through tapping their smart phones over ticket validation machines at the entry and exit gates of the metro stations, or the devices on board public buses and water buses for collecting daily travel fares through smart phones fitted with the NFC technology,” added Al Awadi. -news@khaleejtimes.com