Dubai RTA clocked up 1.5 million digital transactions for drivers’ licences in 2020

Dubai - More than half a million driving test transactions were processed last year.

More than two million driving licence transactions were processed in Dubai in 2020, the emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority revealed on Tuesday. And out of this total, 72 per cent — or over 1.5 million — were processed via smart channels.

“The digitisation of licensing processes contributed to easing the flow of transactions, allowing clients to save time and effort,” said Abdulla Yousef Al Ali, CEO of Licensing Agency, RTA.

In 2020, the RTA processed 105,653 applications for drivers’ licences and issued 86,998 licences. There were 205,203 renewals and 551,147 driving test transactions. “Additionally, the number of theoretical and practical training hours conducted by the agency amounted to 2.7 million hours,” he added.

When the city stayed home last year as part of Covid precautions, the RTA had taken several measures to ease procedures for clients. “(We) extended the validity of 55,900 drivers’ licences at no cost. We issued 700 e-licences whose holders passed the test but were unable to obtain the driving licence. We also rescheduled 66,645 appointments for driving tests without extra charges,” Al Ali said.

“These measures and others made the RTA a model agile entity capable of sustaining the business flow during crises. They also contribute to realising a host of RTA’s strategic goals such as Smart Dubai, People Happiness and Advance RTA.”

• Dubai