Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has approved a package of improvement projects for Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) in bid to boost operational efficiency.
The key initiatives involve expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, automating processes to raise the level of operational efficiency of the taxi service and enhancing traffic safety, said the statement from RTA.
They also aim to provide pioneering, safe and sustainable digital services characterised by excellence, innovation, foreseeing the future, sustainability, and the highest standards of customer happiness, it stated.
Endorsing the package, Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said it includes the smart direction of taxis system involving the use of AI to analyse big data to automatically direct taxis to the highest demand spots as indicated by the demand forecast system.
"The project will reduce the consumption of fuel and increase the number of journeys per vehicle," he stated during a meeting with DTC employees.
Smart Direction
The approved projects include the Robotic Process Automation (RPA), which will boost the operational efficiency of vehicles by 3%, increase the accuracy of data and forecast of areas with the highest demand by 10%, cut the trip time and increase the percentage of productive kilometres, explained Al Tayer.
It will also increase the rate of trip acceptance by 15 percent, and reduce the cost of human resources by 20 percent, he added.
According to him, the portfolio of projects includes deploying the smart distribution of taxis and Tesla vehicles system, automating the collection of daily revenues of limousine services (Uber and Careem), undertaking preventive maintenance measures for taxis, distributing booking requests according to the capacity of the battery of Tesla vehicles, and sending notifications to drivers when batteries are due for charging.
The Smart Collection project aims to deliver smart, digital and sustainable services to drivers through streamlining the collection procedures, enhancing operational efficiency, and nurturing an environment attractive to them.
It also aims to increase the operational efficiency of vehicles, increase the number of journeys, reduce maintenance and fuel costs, facilitate procedures for drivers, develop digital solutions for transactions and provide the service 24x7, stated Al Tayer.
Investment plan
During the meeting, Al Tayer presented an investment plan for DTC that is geared towards creating an inclusive and sustainable future by utilising growth opportunities and enhancing profitability.
In the first half of 2022, DTC generated AED118 million in profits and signed seven commercial agreements for taxis, limos, and buses, said the statement from RTA.
The gathering reviewed DTC’s priorities, which are continually updated. Highlights include reshaping and upgrading services and following up on the 2021-2023 roadmap to improve the Dubai Airports' services besides developing investment prospects and plans and enhancing the safety roadmap in the taxi sector, it added.
Al Tayer later inspected the Tesla Model 3 vehicle - which has been added to DTC taxi fleet to expand the use of eco-friendly vehicles - as well as the 236 newly deployed school buses comprising 52-seater and 36-seater categories.
The buses are equipped with the latest security apparatus, including indoor and outdoor cameras, a student inspection system, motion detectors, and an automatic fire extinguishing system.
Al Tayer reiterated the DTC’s commitment to overhauling the taxi sector in Dubai by employing artificial intelligence and smart systems to enhance performance and customer satisfaction.
"The process entails beefing up the fleet of taxis and limos, enhancing the integration of transportation means and providing mobility services featuring a range of comfort and care options to match the rapid growth of the Emirate and ease the mobility of mass transit riders to their final destinations," he added.
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