72 RTA services via mobile phones in 2014

The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has announced its roadmap for migrating from e-Government to m-Government; encompassing beefing up the number of services offered via smart phones as well as other handheld gadgets (iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows 8) from the existing 17 services to 72 services by 2014.

The drive is set to gather pace to further broaden the service outreach in the first half of 2015.

The move comes in implementation of the initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, setting the path for migration from eGovernment to mGovernment such that government services will be accessible via mobile phones 24/7, throughout the year.

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, reiterated RTA’s commitment to translate the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum into a reality for the benefit of all clients, enabling them to process various RTA services through their smart-phones without obliging them to visit customer service centres.

“The RTA currently provides 17 services compatible with the most common operating systems (iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows) highlighted by services oriented to public transport users such as the booking of taxis, inquiring about the balance of Nol cards, arrival time of buses and Dubai Metro, calculating the fare, inquiring about Nol card balance, displaying the locations of metro stations, bus stops, refueling stations, tourist points, hospitals and medical centers.

“Services targeting road users include the payment of parking fees (mParking), inquiring about traffic offences, online and open auction plates, and the possibility of replacing driver licenses in addition to displaying the locations of RTA customer service centers, and accessing Madinati service enabling customers to file reports and attach images along with the geo-ordinates of the site in question,” explained Al Tayer.

The RTA has gone through various phases of improving the services rendered via mobile phones and issued the maiden edition of the strategy of delivering services via smart-phones in 2009 including the mParking in paid parking zones to save time and effort of users.

In 2010 it launched the first electronic application: RTA Dubai which is compatible with Apple IOS enabling clients access to information about the metro stations, service timing and types of Nol cards.

The RTA continued its drive and in 2011 it released its second application compatible with Apple IOS and Android systems, encompassing six services: taxi booking, calculating metro fare, locations of metro stations and service centers, bus stops and the mParking.

In the first half of 2012, the RTA released the second edition of mobile services strategy based on the highest international standards, and will release the initial phase of the revamped RTA Application in Gitex 2013 featuring an enhanced configuration & layout, addition of Madinati service and supporting the Apple IOS and Google Android systems.

“This year, the RTA has launched a new version of RTA Application whereby the services are offered through RIM Black Berry system and also offered the service of inquiring after the arrival of buses and the Dubai Metro through text messages,” elaborated Al Tayer.

Services provided by the RTA through smart phones are set to pick up substantially in the near future with as much as 55 services in the making; including 9 services this year and 46 services as early as next year, to bring the total number of mobile services to 72 services.

The RTA will embark on a thorough study of all its service offering comprising 208 services of which 156 services are currently available online in order to analyse them and explore the possibility of providing them via mobile phones whether partially or fully.

It will also review the best global practices in order to develop creative services that can be offered via smart phones. The selection of services is based on a number of parametres including that the service has to be provided online, and the service has to be procedural, interactive and informational in addition to that the service has to be oriented to individuals and the usage rate has to be high.

e-Services

This month the RTA will launch the eWallet service offering companies and entities a safe means of payment and an easy-to-use tool for processing transactions related to the Licensing Agency such as the renewal of vehicle registration and payment of traffic fines.

The eWallet can be set up by submitting an application for opening an account in the RTA through electronic and manual means, and the customer will then deposit a certain amount in RTA account via bank transfer. Accordingly, the customer can use this eWallet to pay for fees and offences; which will pave the way for processing the required licensing transaction.

By launching the eWallet, there will be no need for companies to dispatch representatives to RTA customer service centers to processes routine transactions since all services they need have become available online round-the-clock.

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