Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has unveiled the ‘virtual nol card’ initiative at GITEX 2019, held from 6-10 October at the Dubai World Trade Centre. It is part of a new package of solutions and applications in support of nol card uses enabling the public smooth payment of public transport fare as well as other payments such as parking fees, shopping at certain retail outlets, and refuelling stations among others.
“We are keen to familiarize the public with this initiative for buying the virtual nol card and saving it in their mobile phones where they can top-up the card directly from their credit cards, which are saved in their phones. The NFC feature has to be enabled in smartphones of riders such that they can use the virtual nol card in paying fares for metro, bus, tram and marine transport services,” said Mohammed Al Khayat, Director of Automated Fare Collection at RTA’s Corporate Technology Support Services Sector.
“RTA is planning to roll out the virtual nol card in the third quarter of 2020. Later on, all the existing nol card functions will be added to the virtual card. Offering this initiative couldn’t have come at a better time as Dubai is heading towards the hosting of a big event, Expo 2020,” he added.
“This initiative will boost the government drive of ranking Dubai as the smartest city in the world, and contribute to realizing a host of RTA’s strategic goals: Smart Dubai, People Happiness and Asset Sustainability (namely green economy and paperless government). Virtual nol is part of Digital nol Strategy 2018-2022 aimed at achieving the smart transformation of payment means and using advanced technologies in transit services,” concluded Al Khayat.
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