Dubai Roads launches a smart system to enhance bus response capacity and readiness

The Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai has launched a system supported by artificial intelligence to manage and operate buses with high efficiency in various operational situations. It monitors more than 1,100 buses and supports 26 different operational scenarios, which contributes to enhancing operational flexibility and raising the readiness of the public transport system, which contributes to enhancing the response of buses to operational changes in other means of public transport such as the Dubai Metro and Tram, and enhancing customer experience and the continuity of public transport services.

This initiative confirms the authority’s commitment to adopting the latest advanced technologies to enhance the efficiency, flexibility and sustainability of the public transport system, and its consistency with Dubai’s trends towards smart cities, by providing proactive services that meet the aspirations of customers and keep pace with the rapid growth of the city.

In detail, the Director of the Bus Department at the Public Transport Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority, Marwan Al-Zarouni, said: “The decision support system, which was developed by the Public Transport Agency at the Authority through the Bus Operations Control Center, in cooperation with the Artificial Intelligence Center in the Institutional Technical Support Services, relies on advanced technologies that enable it to reduce the decision-making time and distribute buses from 30 to 60 minutes to less than one minute, which enhances the speed of response and the efficiency of managing operational resources.”

Al Zarouni added: “Through the Artificial Intelligence Center and the Dataiku corporate platform, we were able to develop advanced capabilities to support real-time decision-making, which contributes to enhancing the efficiency of managing operational processes and consolidating the authority’s leadership in employing artificial intelligence to support the smart mobility system.”

Al Zarouni pointed out that the system makes use of real-time data, machine learning techniques, and advanced optimization algorithms to identify the most appropriate buses and direct them immediately according to operational needs, while maintaining the efficiency of the public transport network and reducing the impact on service levels.

The Bus Operations Control Center plays a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth flow and continuity of public transport services in Dubai. This smart system also represents a qualitative shift towards more efficient operational processes that rely on real-time data analysis and smart decision-making, which enhances the reliability of services and improves customer experience.