RTA to entertain discounted fare applications from March 15

Dubai. Feb 28,2011 (GN): Students, senior citizens and people with special needs will be able to apply for the much awaited discounted fare cards to use public transport in Dubai with effect from March 15, said a senior official at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA)

"Special category passengers including school and university students, senior citizens and people with special needs will be able to apply for the special discounted fare cards through the Nol card portal www.nol.ae from March 15," said Mohammad Al Mudharreb, Director of the Automated Fare Collection Department at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

He said that applications would also be received at the Metro stations and public bus stations in Dubai.

The RTA has announced earlier that students and senior citizens will receive 50 per cent discount while travel will be free for people with special needs on all modes of public transport in Dubai. But they have to apply to obtain their discounted fare cards.

Applicants who qualify for the special categories of cards will have to apply for Nol Blue Card which is a personalised card with the photo of the users. The cost of the Blue Card is Dh70 including Dh20 credit and it can be recharged online, through banks and at the metro and bus stations. Only UAE nationals qualify for the category of senior citizen cards as expatriates will not be issued this card. Age to qualify for the senior citizen travel card is 60 years and above.

However, students and special needs discount cards are available for all nationalities.

The Nol cards are automated fare collection cards mandatory to use public transport including Dubai Metro, public buses and water buses in Dubai. They can also be used for paying parking fees in the paid parking zones in the city.

Al Mudharrab asked the commuters to inform the RTA in case they face any problem due to technical hitches while upgrading the fare collection system.

Meanwhile, Abdullah Al Madani, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Corporate Technical Support Sector of the RTA said that the RTA has completed the upgrading of all parking machines as well as all Nol Card systems of the Dubai Metro, public buses and the water bus.

The RTA, currently, offers four types of Nol Cards including the Nol Silver Card for economy class, Nol Red Card, Nol Gold Card for travel in the gold class (VIP) compartment of the Metro and Nol Blue Card, a personalised card with photo.