RTA approves plans to improve taxi services

The Roads and Transport Authority has prepared a plan for improving services of the Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) comprising 64 initiatives to be undertaken up to 2021.

Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, also approved the plan for improving attitudes of cab drivers of DTC encompassing 22 initiatives to be implemented up to 2019.

Al Tayer said that the RTA is committed to upgrading the taxi service in Dubai being provided through DTC or franchise companies.

Al Tayer made this statement during a visit to the premises of Dubai Taxi Corporation where he met directors and managers of the DTC in the presence of Mohammad Obaid Al Mulla, member of RTA’s Board of Executive Directors and chair of DTC Council, and Dr Yousuf Al Ali, CEO of Dubai Taxi Corporation.

The projects improvement plan of DTC services span five major aspects.

The first is the introduction of smart and innovative transport solution systems. It covers rolling out a trial run of autonomous vehicles along with the operation of smart taxis capable of communicating with surrounding vehicles, providing the infrastructure of transport systems such as light signals, and embarking on trial runs of electric/gas-powered vehicles.

The second aspect relates to upgrading the infrastructure to accommodate operation needs. This requires the construction of a brand new and integrated depot for taxis in Jebel Ali, upgrading the command and control centre, rejuvenating the booking and dispatch centre, adding more taxi ranks across Dubai, and expanding maintenance workshops, including additional service bays.

The third aspect is related to the diversification of sources of revenues and profits through alliances with transport companies,.

The fourth plan for improving the conduct of DTC cabdrivers contains 22 initiatives

The aspect also relates to operations and covers the improvement of HR procedures, and the assessment of workload on drivers by adding two hours to the weekly rest and offering a weekly holiday to cabbies. It also includes recruiting drivers from new nationalities, and upgrading drivers’ educative programmes with an emphasis on the etiquette of dealing with customers.

The fifth aspect focuses on measurement. It measures the impact of implementing improvement initiatives and projects as well as the effectiveness of operations executed.

The number of vehicles is set to rise from ,046 cabs in 2016 to as many as 7,000 cabs by 2020. The number of limos is expected to see a sharp increase from 146 vehicles in 2016 to 500 vehicles in 2020.

The plan envisages transforming 50 per cent of taxis into hybrid cabs by 2021 as part of a plan to curb carbon emissions from the taxi sector by 2 per cent in compliance with the needs of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and the Green Economy drive.

source : gulfnews