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RTA monitors bus ridership through automated counter system

The captured data about bus riders would be matched with the information about NOL cards in order for the agency to identify the stops and routes where some riders evaded bus fares.

RTA’s Public Transport Agency in Dubai has launched a sophisticated automatic bus passenger counting system known as Rasid, intended to count the actual number of passengers boarding or alighting from buses at each stop. The smart system has several components, some of which are onboard buses, others are in the agency’s control centre.

Dr Yousef Mohammed Al Ali, CEO of RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said that the captured data about bus riders would be matched with the information about NOL cards in order for the agency to identify the stops and routes where some riders evaded bus fares.

“Through this initiative, we aim to support RTA’s direction towards the smart city in keeping with the government drive in this area, promote the concepts of governance within the RTA, and obtain accurate information and statistics about public transport ridership. It also enables the optimal utilisation of human resources and inspectors, increases RTA’s revenues through curbing fare dodgers, and enhances the diffusion of innovative concepts in the RTA,” said Al Ali.

“The project has been executed in a phased manner, including a review of the best international practices, conducting a feasibility study for the project, introducing the system in an experimental phase, and boosting the implementation of the value engineering concept. The agency has completed the installation of the systems aboard 100 buses during the specified timeline of the project,” he added.

Commenting on the key results obtained by the agency following the introduction of the Rasid system, Al Ali said, “Benefits of the system include obtaining accurate information about the rates of fare evasion, identifying the actual figures of bus riders displayed on screens fitted in the operations control centre and screens of bus drivers, and obtaining accurate reports about bus occupancy, which enhances the efficiency of bus planning. Among the key benefits of the system is the deployment of inspectors in a more efficient and effective manner as the system focuses on areas and routes witnessing the most frequent cases of fare evasion.”

The CEO of RTA Public Transport Agency called upon public bus riders to comply with the payment of the applicable fare through the NOL card to enjoy mobility aboard the sophisticated, safe and convenient buses of the RTA. He also urged them to support RTA’s efforts in delivering services befitting residents, visitors and tourists heading to Dubai Emirate from all corners of the globe.

The Public Transport Agency runs about 1,442 buses operating on 107 routes carrying around 7 million riders on approximately 179,000 trips per month.