Roads & Transport Authority - Environmental stewardship

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum attended the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Dubai Metro Blue Line, a key milestone in the expansion of the city’s public transportation network.

Participants in the 10th edition of Dubai International Project Management Forum (DIPMF) issued 12 strategic recommendations.

The honours were presented in recognition of best practices across three categories: Digital Transformation in Transportation, Cloud Computing Solutions, and Enterprise Architecture.

RTA has completed 40% of the nol system upgrade, transitioning from the existing card-based ticketing system to the more advanced account-based ticketing (ABT) technology.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, witnessed the signing of a contribution and traffic solutions implementation agreement worth AED6 billion between RTA and Dubai Holding, a diversified global investment company and a leader in large-scale development projects.

The upgraded system will be rolled out across all major intersections in Dubai, with project completion anticipated by the first half of 2026.

The system is designed to redefine urban mobility, featuring an innovative design, autonomous driving capabilities, and environmentally friendly operations, making it a sustainable and efficient public transport solution.

RTA announced that public transport and shared mobility services in Dubai served 747.1 million riders in 2024, reflecting a 6.4% increase from 702 million riders in 2023.

RTA has adopted its Sustainability Framework 2030, outlining future directions, current enablers, and supporting proposals. Built on three key pillars (environment, economy, and society) the framework aligns with Dubai’s 2030 vision and strengthens its global leadership in sustainable development.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, opened the 10th edition of the Dubai International Project Management Forum (DIPMF) at Madinat Jumeirah.

Baidu’s Apollo Go, WeRide and Pony.ai have been granted permits by RTA to conduct autonomous driving trials on the emirate’s roads, enabling the companies to begin deploying their vehicles for on-road testing across urban Dubai.

His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, stated: “Hosting the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport 2025 reflects the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in reinforcing Dubai’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and forward thinking through expanding the adoption of self-driving transport technologies across all sectors and levels.”

RTA has announced an installation plan for several battery-swapping stations for electric bikes in strategic operational zones and locations across the emirate. The plan will be developed in collaboration with Terra Tech Ltd, a MENA-based B2B micro-mobility tech start-up that specialises in developing battery-swapping stations.

RTA will inaugurate five new public bus routes in response to the growing demand for this service and to meet the needs of public transport users in general, and bus riders in particular.

RTA announced that public transport modes — including Dubai Metro, Dubai Tram, public buses, and marine transport — along with taxis and shared mobility options such as app-based vehicles, hourly rentals, and on-demand buses, served approximately 395.3 million riders in the first half of 2025.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pony.ai, a leading company specialising in autonomous driving technologies, to commence pilot trials of autonomous vehicles in the emirate.

Commenting on this milestone, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said: “Dubai continues to lead the way in shaping the future of mobility, guided by the strategic vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum”.

RTA has been awarded the Year of Sustainability – Plan to Action Seal in recognition of its outstanding efforts and pioneering role in environmental and social sustainability.

RTA has signed a (MoU) with Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER), the world’s leading technology platform for mobility and delivery, and WeRide (NASDAQ: WRD), a global leader in autonomous driving technology.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has successfully converted 55% of its staff-use vehicle fleet into environmentally friendly models, with 260 now operating as eco-friendly vehicles.