Want to call a cab? Simply ‘flip' your smartphone and use a handy new app
Passengers have to just download the app and enter their telephone number, and the nearest taxi in the area will arrive at the required location.
This smart initiative will cover nearly 9,000 taxis in Dubai, including 495 cabs from the fleet of Hala Taxi.
The system is fully automated and linked to the booking and dispatch system of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the passenger can track the movement of the cab until its arrival.
Smartphone users can download the app by entering ‘RTA Smart Taxi' in the Apple Store for iPhones and ‘Dubai Smart Taxi' in the Play Store for Samsung Galaxy phones.
"This app is capable of instantly pinpointing the location of the user, making locating a taxicab very smooth and straightforward. Once the cab driver confirms the order, the user is directly informed about the location of the taxicab, and is also intimated when the cab arrives,” said Adel Shakri, director of transportation system in the RTA's public transport agency.
Users can assess the performance of the cabbie, enabling the RTA to obtain direct feedback. At the end of the trip, the user is provided with a simple five-point template to assess the performance of the driver.
The app can identify the location of the passenger without the address details having to be keyed in. This will benefit tourists as well as those whose vehicles have broken down.
The app includes memory. Details and dates of earlier bookings made by the customer remain stored and the customer can select one from the history of bookings.
The app also allows people to book a taxi in advance at any time or date.
The initiative was launched following the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the U.A.E. and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the smartest city worldwide in less than three years. The RTA has been adopting smart solutions and apps in various services and initiatives.
"Since its inception, the RTA has been pursuing the delivery of services befitting the high profile of the Dubai emirate as a premier economic, tourist and financial global hub attracting investors, business leaders, tourists and visitors, particularly during the season of conventions representing a host of vital sectors,” said Abdullah Ali Al Madani, chair of RTA's smart city committee and CEO of corporate technical support services sector
Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of Licencing Agency, said all RTA agencies and sectors are seeking the optimal implementation of smart services to deliver accessible services to all community segments.
"We in the RTA are seeking to develop the best concepts and ideas to support the transition to smart government and transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world within less than three years,” Bahrozyan added.