Source: RTA. The nol card.

Introduced in September 2009, the versatile nol card, accepted across various transportation modes, has facilitated 3.4 billion transactions thus far, according to HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

These transactions encompass a wide range of activities, including passenger entries and exits at metro and tram stations, bus rides, taxi fares, water transit usage, fare payments, and card reloads. The daily utilization of nol cards has surged recently, reaching an impressive 2.4 million transactions per day. In total, a substantial 48 million nol cards and tickets have been issued.

“To further enhance the card’s utility, RTA has recently partnered with the Smart Dubai office through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), promoting the nol card as a smart payment option for small transactions within Dubai. Another MoU with Dubai Municipality enables the use of nol cards for entry fees at four Dubai parks. The application of nol cards is poised for even greater expansion in the future.

“In a pioneering move within the Middle East, RTA collaborated with Emirates NBD Bank in 2010 to launch a combined credit card. This innovative card combines the functionalities of both a bank credit card and a nol card. Cardholders can seamlessly make payments as a regular credit card, utilize its contactless technology, and benefit from its nol card capabilities for fares across RTA’s public transportation network,” explained Al Tayer.

The e-wallet feature of the nol card, enabling electronic prepayment for RTA services, has also gained considerable popularity. Al Tayer highlighted that 1,100 e-wallet accounts have been opened with RTA, with transactions through the e-purse reaching AED170 million.

“The e-wallet offers a range of advantages, including time savings, eliminating the need to carry cash, secure online payments, convenient account balance checks, and easy payment cancellations. Currently, the e-wallet facilitates payments for licensing fees related to vehicles and drivers. Efforts are in progress to expand its application to encompass various online individual and corporate services provided by RTA,” added Al Tayer.

Following a successful trial run in September 2016, RTA revealed its plans in late September to introduce the final version of the Smart Fare project to the public in October 2016. The project entails the addition of new services to the Public Transport App and upgrades to existing smart services, aligning with RTA’s strategic objectives for a Smart Dubai and enhanced public satisfaction.

The revamped app utilizes near field connectivity (NFC) to bolster current services and facilitate payment processing. Thanks to NFC technology, Android smartphone users can directly read and update their nol cards.

“The Smart Fare project leverages NFC technology, allowing users to tap their nol cards on Android smartphones equipped with the Public Transport Smart App. This enables customers to instantly recharge their nol cards and purchase bus and metro passes without physically visiting ticket counters or renewing permits,” explained Khaled Al Awadi, Director of Automated Fare Collection, Technology Support Services Sector, RTA.

“The app will process payments through secure credit card transactions, made possible through collaboration with the Smart Dubai Government. New features incorporated into the app include credit transfers between cards and the ability to review nol card journey history.

“This service will effectively address any inconvenience associated with the limited availability of recharge machines.”