Dubai’s RTA finalises data investment master plan, aims to sell data to boost revenues

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has finalised a master plan for investment into its data. The plan complements the provisions of Law No 26 of 2015, which regulates data dissemination and exchange in Dubai and subsequent policies.

Mohammed Al Mudharreb CEO of corporate technology and technical support services sector, RTA, said: “This project includes developing an operational model to maximise return on investment from the use of RTA’s data and knowledge while protecting the exclusivity and confidentiality of data.”

The transport authority aims to provide the data to government and private entities, and will become the first government entity in the UAE and the region to implement this approach.

“The project demonstrates RTA’s efforts to adopt the same strategies of high-performing and fast-growing innovative entities that have managed to raise financial returns from data. Such a practice supports the digital government and open data model pursued by our government. It will also reap benefits through forging partnerships with government and non-government agencies and offering innovative solutions tailored to the market demand. The deliverables of the project reflect RTA’s commitment to developing and managing an integrated and sustainable global road and transportation system,” explained Al Mudharreb.

Al Mudharreb said the project also supported the objectives of the Dubai Data initiative,  and would optimise the availability of data, simplify service procedures, reduce the operating cost and support beneficiaries with the decision-making process.

“RTA has accomplished the initial phase of the ‘Big Data’ project, which included setting up the infrastructure for the big data platform along with 20 use cases. It will serve RTA’s affiliated sectors and agencies in data analysis, decision-making, improved operations, and the optimal utilisation of resources,” concluded Al Mudharreb.

In other news, Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), recently revealed that RTA’s revenues collected via digital platforms increased by 32 per cent in 2021 through 309 services provided via digital channels. Its total digital revenues amounted to Dhs3.5bn, compared to approximately Dhs2.65bn in 2020. The number of digital transactions reached 676 million last year, a 28 per cent increase over 527 million in 2020.

Read: Dubai’s RTA digital platforms revenue hit Dhs3.5bn in 2021