21 July 2015
The Roads and Transport Authority - Nashwan Atta'ee: RTA's Public Transport Agency has launched the online booking of the Water Taxi service, adding to the array of diverse services provided to enhance the service experience of all segments of the community.

"It is now possible for Water Taxi riders to log on to RTA's portal at any time, follow simple & short steps to book rides on the Water Taxi at the time they wish by just a click of a button," said Moaza Al Marri, Director of Marketing & Corporate Communication, RTA.

"This service is particularly important during events hosted by individuals or organizations such as hotels and businesses; especially tour operators offering water cruises during conferences, exhibitions and carnivals. At the top of these festivities is the Dubai Shopping Festival, Gitex, The Big 5 Expo, and other events that attract visitors, tourists, business leaders and investors from all corners of the globe," commented Moaza.

"The new service is intended to streamline the Water Taxi booking experience for the public as part of our efforts to offer superb marine transit services in Dubai. Supporting this sector will add up to the tourist movement and cement the profile of the Emirate in this sector which is a key driver of the upswing witnessed by the UAE in general and Dubai Emirate in particular," added the Director of Marketing & Corporate Communication, RTA.

Steps of booking the Water Taxi online via RTA's website are very short & simple where the user starts with selecting the type of journey; whether commuting or chartering. In case of opting for Commuting, the user is then prompted to select the Pickup Point and Destination; which will be accompanied by the display of a map showing the route, along with the timing & fare of the journey. Services will be run every 10 minutes starting from 10 am up to 9 pm, thus the rider will be able to figure out the availability of the Water Taxi along with the estimated arrival time.

The user will also have the option of displaying a Personal Information Page whether as an individual or firm, and can add more personalized information to the favorites such as the extension number or room number in case of hotel residents to enable the Call Center communicate with them. Before payment, the system will show booking details for the user to review before making confirmation. Upon confirmation, the system will take the user to the Pay Page where the first step is to give consent to the Terms & Conditions, following which a Reference number will appear enabling the user to manage the booking, if needed. The user will have the option to make immediate payment or pay later. Afterwards, the user can print the receipt, and the system will finally show the payment places at the Water Taxi stations.

© Press Release 2015