SMART, SAFE AND LUXURIOUS
Being the world’s largest automated driverless train system, the Dubai Metro also manages to transform the journey into an experience for its passengers. The intelligent system is keeping its promise to help Dubai become the smartest and happiest city on Earth by introducing the latest technology and great features in addition to convenient means of travel, including retail outlets, WiFi connectivity and ATMs.
Designed to get people hooked to public transport — the Dubai Metro not only prioritised cost-effectiveness but also used innovative technology such as WiFi, smart malls, Nol cards and easy accessibility for disabled passengers, along with excellent connectivity to other public transport such as buses and taxis, which made it one of the most popular, convenient and cheap modes of transportation.
Also, the Dubai Metro was designed to meet the highest environmental sustainability standards and hence it significantly contributes to the green environment by reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The design adopted for the metro system has minimum impact on air compared to a car.
Free WiFi
By using data analytics and mapping trends in consumer use, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) undertook the task of attracting public to its rail transport service through technological innovations. With the aim of revolutionising commute productivity level and as part of the WiFi UAE initiative, the Dubai Metro in 2015 implemented free WiFi on board so that commuters could enjoy free connectivity while travelling. The initiative replaced WiFi, which was available against a charge. Users can just enter their phone numbers on the WiFi splash page and receive an SMS containing a password that can be entered to get connected. After every hour of use, the user needs to re-authenticate by entering a password again.
Apart from WiFi on the move, over 3,000 CCTVs are installed in trains and stations to monitor any security infringements on the trains.
Also, to let the commuters contact the control room of the metro, an Emergency Call Box is available in each train and station. Passengers also can initiate emergency voice communication with the train staff at the control room through a speaker system.
One card for all
To bring in a unified automated fare collection card, the RTA introduced the Nol card, an electronic ticketing card that was released for all mode of public transport in Dubai (including the metro, buses and water transport) in August 2009.
Nol (which in Arabic means fare) card is an electronic ticketing card that can hold prepaid funds to pay for fares on buses and trains. One needs to add credit to the card before travel. Passengers “tag on” and “tag off” their card on electronic gates at the metro station or electronic terminals in buses when entering and leaving the transport system in order to validate it or deduct funds. These prepaid cards can be “topped-up” online, at ticket machines or at ticketing offices by credit and debit cards or cash. The card is designed to reduce the number of transactions at ticket offices and the number of paper tickets. Usage is encouraged by offering cheaper fares than the paper ticket option, though there is a fee to purchase the card.
Going smart
To increase the happiness level of the city, the RTA devised smart applications so that consumers can get instant services with the click of a button. It launched the Wojhati app, which uses satellite coordinates to pinpoint the position of the customer, in 2013. It allows users to view routes, stops, major landmarks and departures, and help plan journeys using metro, buses and marine transport routes. In the next major upgrade of its mobile services in September 2014, the RTA launched five smartphone applications that included Public Transport app.
To enable a smart shopping experience for the Dubai Metro commuters, in September 2016, the authority opened smart malls at four metro stations. The smart mall concept rolled out by the RTA in collaboration with Etisalat was the first of its kind worldwide, enabling commuters a smart shopping experience via an interactive, highdefinition 3D digital screen spanning nine square metres. At smart malls, customers can choose from the items on show by adding them to the shopping cart and can pay using a credit card. The goods would be delivered at the time and place specified by the customer.
Lately, in the first of its kind in the region, the Dubai Metro is working on a smart technology to serve the blind people of determination. Currently available only to iPhone users, the technology requires a preconfiguration of the phone with the path of the people of determination at the metro station, starting from the entry of the station and including the ticket vending machine, Nol card validation gates and finally the metro carriage.
From installing ticket vending machines, operating longer hours and reducing waiting time for passengers to introducing interactive maps and displays, the Dubai Metro is leaving no stone unturned in using the latest technology to enhance and attract passengers.