Dubai RTA awards $100,000 prize to Jordan's bus project, Dh240,000 to UAE students

Dubai: Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai has awarded $100,000 to a bus project in Jordan's capital and given away Dh240,000 in cash prizes to six UAE student projects at the Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport (DAST).

Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee, honoured the winners at the ceremony for the 14th edition at Dubai World Trade Centre on Thursday.

DAST was established by RTA in 2008 under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

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First Elite Award

Introduced in the 14th edition, the Elite Award is one of the competition's most prominent additions. The winner is chosen from among first-place entries across the categories, excluding the student awards, based on the project's impact, sustainability and level of excellence.

The Greater Amman Municipality in Jordan won the Award for its BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system. The project provides an integrated public transport system that brings together BRT and Amman Bus services within a unified, safe, and accessible network, with integrated operations and fares.

It serves all segments of society, including People of Determination and senior citizens, while helping ease congestion and reduce reliance on private vehicles.

The network runs 193 buses across nine routes spanning 215 kilometres. It has served 73.9 million passengers, averaging 2.1 million a month. Phase Two will add more than 43 kilometres and three new routes serving the south and west of Amman.

Outstanding Student Solutions Award

In the Outstanding Student Solutions Award, Shamas Abdulraouf of The Indian School, Abu Dhabi won first place for Empty Miles, an AI-powered platform that matches spare capacity in commercial vehicles with transport demand, cutting empty trips and emissions.

Ali Humaid Alloghani of Al Rushed American School, Sharjah, was second for Bio-Smart Transit Hubs, which use microalgae, artificial intelligence and solar energy to purify the air at bus stops.

Meherab Hossain of Gulf Asian English School, Sharjah, and team won third for Project Phantom, an environmental monitoring platform using a sensor-equipped drone.

Other student winners

In the other student categories, Yousef Al Badawi of Ajman University won first place in the NextGen for Mobility Award for Smart Solar Pedestrian Nodes, which combine solar shades, artificial intelligence and atmospheric water-harvesting technologies at crossings, adjusting crossing times to crowd density and the needs of People of Determination.

Lauren De Souza of Middlesex University Dubai was second for Koko's Day Out, an interactive sensory book that helps children with autism aged 6–12 prepare to use public transport in Dubai.

Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Raisi of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University was third for Smart Energy-Generating Speed Bumps, which convert kinetic energy from passing vehicles into electricity.

Winners in both student awards receive Dh60,000 for first place, Dh40,000 for second and Dh20,000 for third, plus a certificate from the RTA Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors.

Sustainability Award winners

The Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility) won the Pioneering Sustainable Cities Award for its Integrated Regulatory Framework for Sustainable and Inclusive Transport. The framework brings together policies, legislation, standards and digital compliance procedures covering micromobility, low- and zero-emission vehicles, autonomous vehicles, urban logistics, and inclusive public and school transport for People of Determination.

The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure took second and third places for the Railway Law and the National Transport Strategy, respectively.

Etihad Rail won the Outstanding Sustainable Fleet Award for its Etihad Rail Modal Shift project, which connects ports with industrial and commercial centres through a high-capacity network, helping reduce emissions and strengthen supply-chain resilience.

DP World came second for Electrification of DP World Port and Terminal Fleet, while Dubai Taxi Company was third for Dubai Taxi Company Sustainable.

Keeta Drone won the Clean Energy for Mobility Award for its 'Delivery in Dubai' initiative, which delivers food, medicines and essential goods while cutting delivery times and limiting the use of combustion-engine vehicles on short journeys.

Sharjah Taxi was second for Environmentally Friendly Vehicles, and Legend Motors third for Sustainable Mobility Solutions.

Emarat EV Charging Stations Company PJSC (UAEV) won the Urban Changemakers Award for its UAEV – EV charging network, which offers fast charging through a public network with charger locations determined by actual usage patterns.

Qatar's Ministry of Transport came second for the Lusail Bus Depot, while Abu Dhabi Mobility was third for its Green Bus Assessment Program.

Inclusivity Award winners

The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure won the Urban Flow Improvement Award for its Resilient Transport for Crises and Congestion project. It links existing smart assets to an artificial intelligence platform and uses digitised alternative routes and temporary bridges to keep traffic moving during crises.

Dubai Municipality was second for Smart Mobility for Field Employees, and Dubai Government Workshop third for Traffic Flow with Limited Road Capacity.

Dubai Police General Command won the Safe Transport Award for Safe Cycling in Dubai, which combines awareness, field enforcement and community partnerships to improve safety for bicycle and e-bike users and reduce accidents and injuries.

Dubai Taxi Company was second for Tendered RTA DTC Fleet Safety, while Abu Dhabi Mobility was third for Waterways Signage Enhancement.

Careem won the First and Last Mile Award for Careem Bike, which links users to metro, bus and tram stations and key destinations through shared electric bicycles and solar-powered docking stations.

United Trans was second for its Bus-on-Demand Dubai service. Meanwhile. Morocco-based Enakl won the Transport for All Award for its Access to Skills initiative, which provides accessible, reliable, shared transport for learners and young people exploring vocational training, supported by a digital platform that plans journeys around users' needs.

Innovation Award winners

Qatar's Ministry of Transport and the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority jointly took first place in the Best (AI) Innovation in Transport Award, which focused on artificial intelligence in this edition.

Qatar's entry was the Qatar Activity-Based Model (QABM), which simulates real-world travel behaviour and supports infrastructure planning. The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority presented the DMS AAM Integration Platform, which manages and monitors advanced air mobility operations within a unified digital ecosystem.

Abu Dhabi Mobility was second for Marsadna, and Dubai Police third for its Smart Escort for Explosives Shipments initiative.

Record participation

The 2026 edition attracted more than 750 applications, a 400% increase. Of these, 158 applicants qualified for the final evaluation, up 140%. Entries came from 45 entities in nine countries, alongside 460 individual entries from 22 countries.

The award encourages government and private sector entities, as well as individuals including students, to adopt global best practices in sustainable transport, integration, innovation and smart mobility, alongside solutions that improve safety and protect the environment.

A judging panel chaired by Dr Yousef Mohammed Al Ali assessed the entries. Its members included specialists in engineering, urban development, transport safety, the environment and research methods, drawn from institutions including UAE University, American University of Sharjah, Birzeit University, the Higher Colleges of Technology and the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), alongside RTA specialists.

Future of mobility

Entrepreneur, author and technology disruption expert Tony Seba delivered the keynote, 'The Economics of Disruption and the Future of Transport'. He said major transformations are driven by falling technology costs and faster adoption, citing his 2014 forecasts on solar energy, lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles, which materialised faster than he had anticipated.

Seba said artificial intelligence and autonomous electric vehicles will reshape transport through Transport-as-a-Service (TaaS), built around fleets of autonomous vehicles. He drew a parallel with New York City between 1900 and 1913, when automobiles replaced horse-drawn carriages. With energy, transport, food, materials and labour all transforming at once, he said Dubai is at the forefront, with the strategic capabilities to lead these shifts.

Attendees also watched a film on the award, which showcased RTA's work on an integrated public transport system, smart solutions and environmentally friendly vehicles, and their role in cutting emissions, improving energy efficiency and enhancing quality of life.