A regular nol card inspection at a public bus in Dubai. RTA

In a recent Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) inspection in Dubai, three commuters were caught attempting to evade their bus fares. The surprise inspection, which took place on a bus route to Rashidiya Metro station at 9am on April 2, resulted in fines for an African man and two Asian men, Expat Media witnessed. The inspection is part of the RTA’s ongoing Rasid campaign, aimed at ensuring that passengers comply with Dubai’s mass transit regulations. Fare evasion on public transport in Dubai, including the Metro and buses, carries a fine of Dh200. Saeed Al Balushi of the RTA’s Public Transport Agency, emphasized the importance of regular inspections to maintain high standards of service and security. “We conduct these inspections throughout the year in various locations to ensure the integrity of our transport services,” he said in a previous interview. “It’s essential for us to prevent fare evasion, which affects the quality of services for all users.” Al Balushi further noted that in addition to fare evasion, penalties also apply to passengers without a valid Nol card, or those using expired or third-party cards, with fines ranging from Dh200 to Dh500 for intentional misuse. During the recent Eid holiday period, Dubai saw a surge in public transport usage, with a record 6.3 million passengers from March 30 to April 1. The RTA reported that the Metro alone transported over 2.4 million riders. ICA/Expat Media
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