Dubai Transport / 'Nol' Cards. Dubai, May 1 / WAM / Dr. Aisha Al Bousmait, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication and Acting Director of Customer Service at the Roads and Transport Authority, confirmed that all persons with permanent disabilities, citizens and residents, can now obtain free permits for blue 'Nol' cards used in public transport in Dubai.

Al Bousmait explained that only elderly citizens of the UAE can now get a 50% discount on fares, and students, both citizens and residents, can also get a 50% discount on fares to encourage them to use the RTA's public transport, including the metro and public buses, in their daily commute within the Emirate of Dubai.

She affirmed the authority's keenness to improve all its services provided to the public from various segments of society, including people with permanent disabilities, the elderly, and students of all age groups, by providing all facilities and means that would make using public transport a safe, smooth, and comfortable experience.

Dr. Al Bousmait pointed out that the validity of the card dedicated to people with permanent disabilities, the elderly, and students will be a maximum of five years from the date of issuance, and it will carry information such as the card category (People with Disabilities, Elderly, Students), cardholder's name, photo, and expiry date.

She noted that the Unified Card Department for Transport Systems has started issuing this card in its three categories since mid-March, stressing that the use of the card in public transport is limited to its holder only, and no other person is allowed to use it, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the authority.

She also noted that people with permanent disabilities, the elderly, and students can obtain the blue Nol card via the website or through the authority's offices located at metro and public bus stations in the Emirate of Dubai, after filling out the application and attaching the required documents, along with a one-time payment of AED 70, which includes AED 20 as initial credit in the card's e-wallet. The person will not pay this amount again except when renewing the card.

She said that among the other benefits of this card is that it gives the holder a credit of AED 20 from the AED 70 paid upon application, which can be used to pay for parking fees or to buy red Nol tickets for other people.

She explained that the card permit for the elderly category will be exclusively for UAE citizens aged 60 years and above, and the holder will get a 50% discount on fares, which is lower than the regular blue Nol cards used by the general public.

Al Bousmait pointed out that the third category of these cards will be for students, both citizens and residents, aged 5 to 23 years, i.e., students of all age groups enrolled in schools at all educational levels, in addition to university, college, and institute students.

Al Bousmait noted that students applying for a permit for this card must meet conditions, including being a full-time student (not part-time), and the school, university, college, or institute they are enrolled in must be officially recognized and accredited by the Ministry of Education, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai, the Academic Accreditation Commission, or the Ministry of Higher Education. The applicant must also provide a signed and stamped letter from the aforementioned educational authorities stating that he/she is enrolled full-time in their school, university, college, or institute.

She also noted that student cardholders will also get a 50% discount on fares, lower than the regular blue Nol cards used by the general public, but the permits for this card will be divided into five different categories based on the student's age.

Dr. Aisha Al Bousmait explained that the first category is for ages 5-14, with a maximum validity of five years; the second category is for age 15, with a maximum validity of four years.

The third category is for age 16, with a maximum validity of three years, while the fourth category is for age 17, with a validity of two years.

She explained that the fifth category is for ages 18-23, with a validity of one year. She noted that if the permit expires but the card itself has not yet expired, the regular fare applicable to that card will automatically apply.

She pointed out that Emirati students studying abroad at the expense of the Ministry of Higher Education are also eligible to obtain this card for use while in the Emirate of Dubai, provided that their application includes a letter from their university abroad confirming their enrollment.

She added that the required documents to obtain this card for all categories include a valid national ID card, two passport-sized photos with a white background, plus payment of the required AED 70 issuance fee, a valid disability card issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs for people with permanent disabilities, and a signed and stamped letter from the official educational authorities for students.

Dr. Aisha Al Bousmait stressed the need for the applicant to ensure the accuracy of the information when filling out the application. If the information is found to be incorrect, a regular blue Nol card will be issued without consulting the applicant, and the applicant is only entitled to one permit.

The card will be sent within two weeks from the date of receiving the application via courier to the home or work address free of charge, and SMS messages will be sent to the applicant to inform them of the stages of processing their request.

Dr. Aisha Al Bousmait noted that among the other benefits of this vital service is that customers can top up additional credit via SMS, ATMs, and the service website, in addition to top-up through various kiosks such as those available at Etisalat outlets, du outlets, and Axiom stores.

She explained that the multiplicity of channels and sales outlets for these cards makes obtaining them easy and quick, and will play a vital role in increasing the use of public transport in the Emirate of Dubai, in addition to many other benefits available to the public from various segments of society.