DUBAI: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has adopted 64 innovative ideas focusing on improving customer happiness and increasing passengers on Dubai Metro and Tram as part of long-term plans.

To this effect, RTA’s Rail Agency recently held an innovation lab where participants debated an array of concepts and came up with 25 innovative ideas about customers’ happiness, 14 ideas about increasing Dubai Metro and Tram ridership, 14 ideas for implementation over the long run, and 11 innovative ideas classified as moderate.

Attendees at the lab included Abdul Mohsin Ebrahim Younis, CEO of RTA’s Rail Agency, directors and staff of the Rail Agency, and representatives of Thales, one of the key companies dealing with the Rail Agency, in addition to passenger representatives, particularly for the disabled.

“The lab discussed current scenarios for the future of metro and tram, identified the existing challenges and discussed the best solutions possible in order to realise RTA’s objectives in this regard,” said Younis.

“We meet here today to share innovative ideas to come up with the best solutions for customer happiness, and offer creative services capable of attracting additional riders to Dubai Metro and Tram, the two most recent and convenient transit means in Dubai,” he said.

He praised the positive role of these initiatives as they help motivate individuals to offer smart, effective and sustainable ideas and solutions for adding more happiness to customers and augmenting the ridership of the metro and tram. “We were faced with a host of diverse challenges, which prompted us to hold this innovative lab in a bid to work out solutions that serve the needs of community members and match RTA’s strategic goals,” he added.

As part of arrangements for the Lab, RTA rolled out a campaign via social media portals of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, which generated 1,379 public responses. The campaign screened the views and suggestions of community members about the possible improvements to the metro and tram services that make them feel happier. The campaign also included holding an interactive discussion panel with the public on November 15 last year via the aforementioned social media channels.

Situated at the Dubai Tram Depot at Al Sufouh, RTA’s Innovative Lab is the first government innovation lab in Dubai. It comprises training halls fitted with sophisticated equipment, areas for holding brainstorming sessions, an innovation club designed to the highest standards to nurture an inspiring innovative environment, a platform for presenting and debating ideas, and interactive display monitors enabling the sharing of visual contents between members. These monitors interface with smartphones and hand-held computers of the participants enabling wireless display of contents. The lab also contains supporting facilities such as a rest hall, prayer room, and meeting halls.