Dubai: A total of Dh618,700 in cash, hundreds of electronic devices, mobile phones and jewellery items were among the over 31,000 belongings left behind by passengers in Dubai taxis this year.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Sunday revealed that the Lost and Found Unit at its Call Centre, Customers Happiness Department received 31,073 reports of items lost in Dubai taxis during the period from January to September 2020. The resolution rate of these reports within the specified time was as high as 99.9 per cent.
“[The] RTA considers customers and service recipients a top priority in line with its third strategic goal ‘People Happiness’. From January to September this year, we found and returned a diverse cast of lost items including Dh618,700 in cash, 836 mobile phones, 1,201 electronic devices, 453 passports, 254 laptops, 53 jewellery items, and 41 iPads/tablets. Overall, we have received 31,073 reports of lost items and the signing-off rate amounted to 99.9 per cent,” said Mehailah Al Zahmi, Director of Customers Happiness Department, Corporate Administrative Support Services Sector, RTA.
“We return the lost items to their respective owners once we receive reports from them. This achievement is credited to the cooperation of our taxi drivers who display high levels of integrity and honesty in line with the RTA’s professional ethics in this vital field,” she noted.
“Our taxi drivers may sometimes experience certain conditions, such as exhaustion, that preclude them from reporting items left behind by riders. Here comes the role of the Lost & Found Units in making a quick response to incoming reports. It can identify the vehicle thanks to the details supplied by the rider. The handing back of found items depends on the fast reporting of the case and the full provision of details,” she continued.
How long it takes to return items
“It is a common practice of the Customers Happiness Department to hand back lost and found items within three working days if full details are provided, and might take up to seven days in the event of supplying incomplete information. However, in most cases, a response is made to the customer within a day. There are some urgent cases where the action is taken within a few working hours,” noted Al Zahmi.
“Taxi drivers who report items left by customers in their vehicles are honoured and motivated to encourage them to continue with this moral and civilised conduct. It will also have a positive bearing on their careers, and contribute to attracting more riders to this service, which offers privacy and comfort to customers in line with the RTA’s vision as ‘the world leader in seamless and sustainable mobility’,” she said.
