A new plan approved by the Roads and Transport Authority will beef up smart travel options in Dubai. The project improvement plan for the Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) comprises 64 initiatives that will be undertaken by 2021.

One of the aspects of the plan is the introduction of smart and innovative transport solution systems. It covers rolling out a trial run of autonomous vehicles along with the operation of smart taxicabs capable of communicating with surrounding vehicles, providing the infrastructure of transport systems such as light signals, and embarking on trial runs of electric/gas-powered vehicles.

Other initiatives in the plan include improvement of quality offences code, procedures for spotting offending drivers, improvement of rewards and incentives system, and the revision of conditions for the rotation of drivers over a variety of occupations.

Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA, also sanctioned a plan for improving attitudes of taxi drivers of the DTC encompassing 22 initiatives to be implemented up to 2019.

The plan includes upgrading the technological systems of the customers’ happiness centres, fitting taxicabs with surveillance cameras and interactive screens, and running of taxi on-road performance monitoring system.

The educative programmes will stress on the etiquette of dealing with customers, and revamped procedures will be adopted for investigating complaints and conduct offences on the part of drivers.