Free wifi at Dubai bus shelters

Besides air conditioning, some bus shelters in Dubai will soon be equipped with Internet access, mobile phone charging stations and mini kiosks.

A small kiosk will take up one corner of the bus shelter while an interactive information screen will take up another corner, providing real-time information about the bus line.

Another screen will enable payment for various government services and international phone lines. There is also a charging station for different types of mobile phones.

Such smart shelters are the latest innovation in Dubai’s bus infrastructure which were unveiled on Sunday at Gitex Technology Week 2015.  Fifty smart shelters will be built this year, and the total number is expected to reach 100 by the end of January.

“The smart kiosk will offer a wide range of services to bus riders including free Wi-Fi, Nol card sale and top-up, mobile phone charging, payment of bills of government departments, interactive screens with real-time information on bus schedules and more,” said Mohammad Ali, Director of Bus at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

Currently there are 656 air conditioned bus shelters in Dubai. The plan is to expand this number to 1258 by 2017.

“These smart shelters will be an upgrade of 100 of the existing one in locations where ridership is high, such as Bur Dubai, Deira, Jafliyah, Satwa, Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah Road, and Sheikh Zayed Road,” said Ali.

Construction of 400 air conditioned bus shelters will start next year, with completion expected later in the year.

Meanwhile, some defects have been reported in the existing bus shelters. “We are looking into these defects and will consider whether these shelters should be repaired, replaced or removed, depending on current ridership data,” Ali said.
 

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