Dubai: RTA’s Public Transport Agency has completed linking 4,500 taxis of franchise companies operating under the tutelage of RTA with Makani System of Dubai Municipality.
The step is part of efforts to embody RTA’s initiatives to support the Government of Dubai in the implementation of its directives to transform Dubai into the world’s smartest city, which deliver services to the public round the clock. This initiative also contributes to ensure one of RTA’s most important goals, happiness for people.
Adel Shakeri, director of Transportation Systems, RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said: “Thanks to the sharp accuracy and the easy use of ‘Makani system as well as its 100 per cent coverage of Dubai, the system has played a vital role in executing booking and dispatch orders by cab drivers. It has made it easy for clients to reach their intended destinations in Dubai, thanks to its highly accurate positioning feature using interactive e-maps.
“The interface of Makani system and the Booking and Dispatch System consists of three major components. One part relates to the client offering the requester the option of making a booking using Makani number through a call to the Booking and Dispatch Centre.
The second part relates to the Booking and Dispatch Centre, which acts as a communication channel between the customer and the taxi, enabling the receipt of the request and dispatching it to the taxi. The third part relates to the taxi through feeding the booking request in the taxi meter along with Makani number of the customer.
“This initiative brings back multiple benefits to RTA’s Booking and Dispatch System. It facilitates the dispatch of taxis to clients using Makani number, and eases booking process for customers by just citing Makani number. It also reduces the number of complaints related to taxis and cab drivers such as late arrival, and the poor knowledge of Dubai geographical zones on the part of drivers,” he noted.
“The coverage of Makani system of Dubai Municipality spans the entire emirate of Dubai. About 137,000 addresses have been registered in the Booking and Dispatch System of Taxis and 4,500 taxis have been linked to the system.
A number of employees from the Public Transport Agency have been trained on the interface of Makani system with the smart taxi meter. They are being groomed to give further training and education to taxi drivers in Dubai emirate,” explained Shakeri.
