Hating Waiting for Cabs? Dubai’s Smart System Lessens Your Wait Time

Dubai is a popular destination for visitors who have business interests. There are also many who visit relatives here or who may simply be here as a tourist to marvel at the many wonders this city has to offer. As a result, the many who visit as well as those who live and work in Dubai have requirements for hired transit vehicles. To ease the whole process of using taxis, a new system is to be launched in Dubai.

The Road and Transport Authority’s new system

It is something called the STMS or the Smart Time Management System. This system is developed with a view to offer a positive travel experience to the many visitors who visit Dubai to attend any of the 500 or so events hosted in the city each year.

SMTS

This is yet another project that will help Dubai become the smartest city in the world and achieve the vision of the rulers of the Emirates as well as facilitate a positive experience for visitors into the UAE whether for business or leisure.

Information exchange

The system will help the road and transport authorities to know about the number of visitors that would be attending an event, so that adequate means of transport can be pressed into service and made available to visitors. This will also help visitors know more about the taxi that will be arriving for them and how long it will take.

Smooth event management

The system will ensure easy entry and exit of vehicles from and into event spaces, so that the overall experience is positive. The authorities have said that the system is in line with the best practices elsewhere and also believe that reducing wait times will make taxi users happier.

Testing was successful

An RTA team gauged actual requirements of visitors and event coordinators and tested out the new system at two events conducted at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where as many as 12,000 people benefited from the new system. The system was tested out elsewhere as well and it was found that customer satisfaction rose as waiting time for taxi riders fell.

Other measures to improve transit facilities in Dubai

In another welcome move, reports have indicated that more taxis will be plying on the roads of Dubai in times to come and that thousands of new taxis will be added to the RTA fleet by 2020; taking the total number of vehicles up to almost 13,000 vehicles. The RTA had also announced that working conditions for taxi drivers would be examined to check driver fatigue which can be dangerous. Since drivers are paid on commission they end up working very long hours up to seven days a week which is dangerous for them and their passengers as well as other road users. To further improve the situation, taxi drivers will have to undergo rigorous testing and training prior to being allowed to operate taxis in the UAE.

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