Cash worth over Dh2 million, tens of thousands of electronic devices, and thousands of passports were among the personal belongings recovered from taxis in Dubai last year, according to figures released by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Data from the authority show that the Lost and Found Team at the RTA Call Centre processed a total of 104,162 reports of missing items during 2025. The unit operates under the Customer Happiness Department and coordinates directly with taxi companies and drivers to trace and return property left behind by passengers.
Electronics made up a significant portion of the recovered items, with around 35,000 smartphones, laptops, and tablets returned to their owners. The inventory also included roughly 3,000 passports and official documents, as well as jewellery and other valuables.
The recovery process follows a structured workflow that begins once a report is received. Trip details and driver information are verified, after which the case is tracked through dedicated systems until the item is either located and returned or the report is formally closed. According to the RTA, these procedures are designed to ensure accuracy, accountability, and timely follow-up.
“These efforts align with RTA’s strategic message to provide safe and seamless mobility by developing innovative and sustainable roads and transport systems and services that elevate the customer experience to global standards,” said Meera Al Shaikh, Director of Customer Happiness at the Corporate Administrative Support Services Sector of the RTA.
“RTA places customers at the heart of its priorities through the implementation of strategic goals and objectives related to customer happiness, which focus on enhancing understanding of customers’ characteristics, needs and requirements, developing proactive and tailored products and services, and reinforcing positive practices and customer behaviour that support the efficiency and sustainability of the mobility system in the Emirate.”
Al Shaikh said the effectiveness of the lost-property framework depends on trained teams and close coordination between the Call Centre, taxi operators, and drivers, supported by smart technologies that help safeguard customer belongings and reinforce trust in public transport services.
Most reports in 2025 were filed through the Call Centre, accounting for 56 percent of cases. Digital channels made up the rest, with 30.8 percent submitted via the text-based virtual agent “Mahboub” and 10.8 percent through smart applications.
To support these channels, the RTA has expanded its technological infrastructure to allow precise tracking of taxi movements, faster communication with drivers, and real-time monitoring of each case. The Call Centre provides assistance in multiple languages, including Arabic, English, Hindi, Filipino, French, Chinese, and Russian, among others.
