Dubai is set to introduce a smart monitoring system for delivery motorcycles, with companies required to install tracking devices and connect their fleets to the platform from the second half of 2027.
This is part of the authorities’ efforts to improve road safety and regulate the emirate’s rapidly growing delivery sector.
The integrated system, being introduced by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), will use Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices, advanced cameras and a smart digital platform to monitor riders’ behaviour, including speeding, sudden acceleration and harsh braking.
Installation of the devices and connection to the platform will remain optional until the end of the first half of 2027, giving delivery companies time to prepare their fleets and systems. Compliance will become mandatory after the transition period.
The move is expected to give authorities greater visibility into how delivery motorcycles operate on Dubai’s roads, while also helping companies identify risky driving practices and take corrective action before they lead to accidents.
Saeed Al Ramsi, Director of Licensing Activities Monitoring at RTA, described the initiative as a significant change in how delivery operations are monitored.
“The new system marks a step-change in monitoring of delivery activity. It covers a smart digital platform, IoT-enabled monitoring devices, and advanced cameras fitted to delivery motorcycles,” he said.
The technology will collect and analyse information on several aspects of riding behaviour, including speed, acceleration, braking, driving patterns and routes.
“This will allow operational performance to be tracked and unsafe practices detected with greater accuracy and efficiency,” Al Ramsi said.
Beyond tracking individual journeys, the platform is intended to help delivery companies manage their fleets more effectively by providing real-time operational information.
The data will allow companies to identify patterns in riders’ behaviour, assess performance and use evidence-based indicators to improve training and road-safety awareness programmes.
Al Ramsi said the initiative signals a move towards a more proactive approach to regulating delivery operations, supported by technology and cooperation between authorities.
“The system reflects RTA’s shift from conventional monitoring to proactive, data-driven oversight underpinned by smart analytics. It is also the result of ongoing cooperation with Dubai Police General Command and relevant entities in developing an integrated system that balances operational efficiency with safety and compliance requirements,” he said.
For delivery operators, the system could also offer a practical way to identify problems within their fleets rather than relying solely on conventional supervision.
“By giving companies practical tools to monitor the performance of their fleets and riders in real time, the system will enable them to take early corrective and awareness measures, thereby improving delivery service quality and raising safety and security standards across this vital sector,” Al Ramsi added.
The initial voluntary phase is intended to give operators sufficient time to complete the technical and operational preparations needed to connect their motorcycles to the platform.
During this period, RTA will coordinate with delivery companies and other relevant entities to support their readiness and facilitate implementation.
The authority said the system would also create an integrated operational database that could help shape future regulatory policies, strengthen field monitoring and encourage safer and more sustainable practices across the sector.
Al Ramsi stressed that technology alone would not be enough to achieve the intended improvements, with regulators, companies and individual riders all having a role to play.
The initiative comes as delivery services become an increasingly visible part of daily life in Dubai, with motorcycles operating across residential neighbourhoods, commercial districts and major roads.
By combining real-time monitoring with fleet-management tools, RTA aims to improve accountability among operators, reinforce compliance with traffic regulations and raise safety standards for delivery riders and other road users.
Source: Khaleej Times
