Dubai: Smart Fare, the NFC-enabled Nol service that allows for top up of Nol cards with just a tap on the mobile phone has proved popular with commuters, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) revealed on Sunday.
In September, this year RTA introduced a new facility for Android phone users with Near Field Communication (NCF) technology allowing them to top up their Nol cards or application for public transport permits with the tap of the Nol card to their phones.
According to RTA, the service has witnessed a 71 per cent increase in popularity in three months, with 8,834 transactions.
RTA upgraded its public transport app to facilitate the transactions, which has options for Nol top up, balance check etc.
The facility is part of a final upgrade to the Smart Fare project of the automated fare collection system or Nol.
The app uses NFC to support the current services and enables the launch of a new package of services relating to the use of Nol card as a means of payment for services provided through the app.
NFC technology, will allow reading and update of Nol cards directly through smartphones, however it will only be available on Android devices.
“The Smart Fare is based on using NFC technology in recharging Nol cards instantly by just touching the Android smartphone in which the Public Transport app is uploaded to the card. It also enables transferring balances between cards and inquiring after the log of journeys made through no card,” said Khalid Al Awadhi, director of Automated Fare Collection at RTA.
He added that RTA is planning to upgrade the service in future by providing additional services such as buying and renewing public transport travel permits and using Nol cards in paying for RTA’s services via the smart apps.
“The Smart Fare has raised customers’ satisfaction rating as regards the time taken to avail the service from 87 per cent to 92 per cent and dropped the rate of complaints for the delay in availing the recharge service from 18 cases per month to zero,” he added
