By Shafaat Shahbandari, Staff Reporter www.gulfnews.com
Dubai: From trains and buses to waterbuses and taxis, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) monitors every movement of public transport through its ‘tech eye’ or Automated Vehicle Management (AVM) system.
Introduced a couple of years ago, the satellite supported system initially supported only Dubai Metro trains, but is now used to cover more modes of transports including buses, waterbuses and taxis.
The system will soon cover watertaxis as well.
Connecting the drivers directly with RTA’s Operation Control Centre (OCC), the system establishes direct communications with bus and waterbus drivers through three channels — voice communication, text messages and emergency contact.
“Each bus is being tracked to verify its on-time operation, and if for example a bus is ahead of its schedule or slightly delayed, the driver will receive a text message informing him accordingly. The system also displays on the driver’s monitor the scheduled route making it easier for the driver to remember the route and navigate,” said Adel Shakeri, Director of Transportation Systems, at the RTA’s Public Transport Agency.
With the drivers continually fed with proper information and officials having direct access to routes and movements of buses, the system has helped in improving bus networks, while also increasing the efficiency of the service. More info
