A new initiative to create a single card for
use on public transport in Dubai has been pitched to local banks by
Emirates’ Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
According to The National newspaper in Dubai, the RTA
is looking to partner local banks and produce a card which would
have the additional function of storing credit for use on public
transport. Banks would be required to place a chip in a prospective
‘dual chip transit credit card’ to store the holder’s transport
funds. The additional chip would effectively be the prepaid chip
currently used in the transport system’s prepaid Silver and Gold
Nol cards.
Abdullah al Madani, chief executive of the
RTA’s corporate technical services sector said: “It will cut down
on the number of cards people will have to carry.”
Al Madani said the idea would broaden the use
of credit cards and encourage people to use public transport, in
line with the RTA’s long-term goal.
No launch date has been set for the new
initiative as RTA is awaiting a response from local banks.
