A new plan for transportation in Dubai
The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is getting ready to implement the RTA Strategic Plan 2024–2030, which is in line with the UAE government vision (we are the Emirates 2031), the Dubai Emirate Plan 2033, the Dubai Urban Plan 2040 to be the best city in the world, and the government orientations of the emirate of Dubai.
The plan was adopted last December by the Supreme Committee for Strategic Planning and institutional transformation, which is chaired by Mattar Al Tayer, the director general and chairman of the authority's board of directors.
implementing the 2030 strategy
In more detail, Khalid al Awadi, the director of the transportation systems department at the public transport corporation in the Authority, disclosed that the authority is presently carrying out its 2030 strategy, which calls for a state of integration between various modes of transportation in order to prepare the air taxi service for application in conjunction with a variety of public transport services, including buses and metro stations.
In an interview with "Emirates Today," he said that Dubai's transportation industry will undergo a significant transition, with an emphasis on environmentally friendly electric vehicles and the conversion of taxis and public transportation to more eco-friendly models. He also mentioned plans to extend the routes of flexible transportation options, like bicycles and scooters, emphasizing that the main objective of this plan is to concentrate on the adoption of eco-friendly models in the years to come.
Operating self-driving cars
The authority plans to operate electric "Chevrolet Bolt" self-driving cars, making Dubai the first city outside of the United States to operate the vehicles of the American "cruise" company. Other future directions of the authority include the study and application of integrated and flexible mobility, connected and real-time mobility systems, and self-driving mobility.
In order to support the 20-minute principle (by providing more than 80% of daily services to the population within 20 minutes of commuting by walking and cycling), the authority's strategic plan 2024–2030 focuses on achieving five strategic goals related to innovative mobility and integration. These goals include expanding current and future mobility services, improving accessibility and enhancing integration between means of transportation, and developing smart mobility solutions.
Achieving the goal of preparing for the future
In order to achieve the goal of being prepared for the future, the strategic plan also emphasized the need of bringing in, keeping, and developing talent in accordance with future demands, creating an efficient partnership system, strengthening capacities in the areas of research, development, and innovation, becoming a preeminent data-based organization, and creating a flexible technology infrastructure.
As the first organization in the Middle East to develop a long-term plan to switch to public transportation with net zero emissions, the authority's strategic plan centers on sustainability. It aims to accelerate the transition to zero-emission means of transportation by implementing the "zero-emission public transport in the emirate of Dubai 2050" strategy, which calls for the conversion of all cabs and limousines in the emirate to 100% electric and hydrogen vehicles by 2040 and all public transportation buses to 100% electric and hydrogen buses by 2050. The target for sustainable transport mobility has also been set at 42.5% in 2030.
By transforming taxis and public transportation vehicles into eco-friendly modes, Dubai's transportation industry will undergo a significant transition, with an emphasis on sustainable electric transportation.