Dubai: The Dubai public transportation Nol cards will be good for buying grocery items and for payment of shopping from different outlets in the emirate.

* Image Credit: Virendra Saklani/Gulf News * Mohammad Yousuf Al Mudharreb

Before the end of the year, Nol cards, which are now used for public transportation, will be enabled to function as an e-wallet that will allow people to use them at groceries, Mohammad Yousuf Al Mudharreb, director, Unified Automated Fare Collection Department, said in an exclusive interview.

RTA is already in talks with prominent grocery and supermarket chains to seek their participation.

Unlike credit cards and debit cards, where customers have to wait in queues and sign slips, the touch-and-go technology used in Nol cards means customers can just scan and leave, similar to the way they exit Metro stations, Al Mudharreb said.

Maximum recharge

The cards can be recharged the same way as is done now. And the maximum recharge will continue to be Dh500.

Residents will not have to buy new cards but simply use their existing card after ensuring it has sufficient funds.

As the sale of Nol cards has surpassed RTA’s forecasts, the introduction of a micropayment option will invigorate use of Nol cards, officials hope.

“We want people to feel attached to their Nol cards. We want them to grow the habit of frequently using the cards. This will eventually encourage use of public transportation,” he said.

“Besides this, the government has invested so much in developing the Nol cards system that we want it to be leveraged beyond the scope of RTA services,” he added.

Nol cards are used in over 1.2 million traffic transactions in the city every day.

With over 500 sales points that also offer top-up facilities, the new feature of Nol cards could become popular, officials anticipate.

Four million Nol cards have been sold by the RTA since it was first launched in August 2009, of which three million are active users (who frequently use the card within a span of two months).

Positive response

“Majority of the Nol card sales were recorded in the first two years. Now the market is saturated and the sales are going down a bit, although it has surpassed our forecasts,” Al Mudharreb said.

“This led us to consider expanding the use of Nol cards beyond RTA services,” he said.

The initial response from merchants has been very positive, he said.

“Merchants would prefer use of Nol cards because cash handling costs them money as they often employ cash management companies.”

“And many credit card companies are not interested in these small amounts of money because it does not benefit them much,” he said.

What is Nol?

The unified automated fare collection card (UAFC) has been named after an old Farsi word nol. “Nol” means “fare” or “cost of using transport”. The word is not in common use these days.

Nol is similar to another Arabic word karwa — which is commonly used in Kuwaiti, Bahraini and Qatari dialects. Karwa means “fare” or “cost” of doing any service or certain job. In the past, nol was used to refer to fare or cost of using horse and donkey transportation. More info

Dubai: The opening of 11 new plants, including eight serving the Dubai Metro Green Line, boosted profits last year at the National Central Cooling Company, also known as Tabreed.

Dubai Metro

The Dubai-listed utilities firm said net income advanced to Dh182.7 million ($50 million) from Dh136.8 million in 2010, an increase of 34 per cent. The company’s stock price fell 0.55 per cent to 54 fils per share at the close yesterday on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM).

Tabreed’s core business involves chilling water at its plants, which is in turn used to cool buildings and other infrastructure projects. The 11 new plants increased the firm’s total connected capacity in the UAE to 555,181 refrigeration tonnes.

“Tabreed’s performance was driven by its core chilled water division, which aggressively fuelled the company’s bottom line,” said Marwan Shurrab, vice-president and chief trader at Gulfmena Investments.

Sustained rally

“The stock saw some profit taking but that is not a surprise given the market has been on a sustained rally; the DFM was up six per cent for the month of January,” he added.

Tabreed’s chilled water division saw revenues increase 25 per cent to Dh943.8 million while gross profit rose 27 per cent to Dh406 million.

Group revenue for the year increased by 9 per cent to Dh1.1 billion. More info

It is not a region known for its promotion of equal rights for women.

'Top priority': Miss Al Safar said her jobs had made her open to challenges and unafraid to take risks

However, a 28-year-old woman from Dubai has struck a blow for her Arabic sisters after becoming a train driver for the city’s Metro system.

Not only is Mariam Al Safar the first female in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to get behind the controls of a train – she is also the first in the Middle East.

Her feat is all the more impressive when you consider women are arrested in Saudi Arabia for driving a car.

Miss Al Safar, a native Emirati, is one of a select few UAE residents qualified to get behind the controls of a Dubai Metro train – and is the only woman, it was reported.

The network, which is described as the most advanced in the world is primarily an unmanned automatic driving system, which is operated from a centralised control room.

However, in the event of system repairs or an accident, it needs manual operation.

Miss Al Safar told Gulf News: ‘I am always open to challenges and I am not afraid to take risks. I work hard and my job is my top priority.’

She added: ‘Being a train attendant has helped me understand how to interact with people and staff from different nationalities and different cultures. This has empowered me to tackle different kinds of situations with ease.’ More info and photos

Mariam al-Safar has become the first woman to drive the Metro in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well as the Middle East.

Only 28 years old, Safar, a Dubai Metro Passenger Services Supervisor has changed people’s perspective towards Middle Eastern women with her occupation and expertise.

Dubai’s metro system is currently the most highly developed in the world with its automated system but drivers are still on board to handle any emergencies.

Safar is one such qualified driver and one of the rare locals responsible for driving the metro.

“She is the first local to drive. She was the only train attendant (when) we had a local. She is very hard working. She works early to come to work. She does night shifts, and she is everywhere,” said Faith Mutune, Mariam al-Safar’s colleague.

In the UAE it is common for a foreigner to be hired for jobs in this field. However with up to 80 percent of the UAE’s population being mostly expats the government has created policies to increase local participation in various fields, including metro operation and management in a bid to decrease dependence on foreign workers.

“The government is always pushing women to be leaders of the future, so they are encouraging women to enter different fields,” said Safar.

Presently over 130 locals are employed at the Dubai metro systems, making up 12 percent of all metro management personnel. An estimated 40 percent of UAE citizens work in high-level official positions and 28 percent in middle-level management position.

An agreement made between Dubai Metro Operation and Management Corporation and Dubai Roads and Traffic Administration, will see 50 to 60 percent of UAE nationals in high rank positions at the Dubai metro systems.

VIDEO. More info

Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai has launched ‘Award for Scientific Rresearch’ to encourage its employees to participate in educational and research activities.

The award was also to help the staff effectively contribute towards promoting the objectives of the RTA.

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, who said on Saturday the award scheme was designed to recognise the talents of gifted employees and invest their potential in advancing RTA business processes. The scheme was also a bid to bolster the organisation’s efforts in knowledge management.

The RTA has budgeted prizes for the winning research project.

The author of the best research will get a cheque of Dh20,000 along with a certificate of appreciation. The runner-up will walk away with prize money of Dh15,000 and a certificate and the third place will get Dh10,000 and a certificate of appreciation.

Writers of the best 10 researches will be given Dh3,000 each.

The award will be held every year.

The Audi R8 limo is the ideal choice of vehicle for people who want to make a statement so if you’re searching for a stand out limousine for your birthday bash, wedding, hen or stag party, then the stunning Audi RB limo is the only vehicle you need to consider.

AUDI R8 LIMOUSINE

As one of the most desired sports cars in the world, the Audi R8 turns heads wherever it goes. However this highly sought after sports car has been taken to the next level and stretched into a limousine in order to offer the Audi R8 experience for large groups.

Due to the fact that the Audi R8 sports car is a 2-seater vehicle, when it comes to hiring this luxury super car for special events, customers are limited to the number of people who can be transported which means for many, they have to opt for larger vehicles and miss out on a ride in the Audi R8.

But thanks to the new innovation of the stretched Audi R8 limo with seating for 8 passengers, more people can enjoy the unique experience of travelling in this state of the art vehicle.

AUDI R8 LIMOUSINE

Limo Broker set out with the intention to create the world’s fastest limo meaning that once it’s complete, the Audi R8 Limo will be the perfect choice of luxury limo for petrol heads. So if you want to take a ride in the fastest Audi R8 limo in existence, make it happen for your big event by registering your interest with Limo Broker today.

The Audi R8 Limo is currently under production with bespoke vehicle manufacturers, Carbonyte UK, working in conjunction with Limo Broker to take the design from the drawing board to the road. An initial completion date for the summer of 2012 has been set, so if everything goes to plan, the stretch Audi R8 limo could be coming to an event near you in just 3-4 months time.

More photos and video

Dubai. Microsoft Gulf announced the winner of Microsoft Tech Out following an intense competition amongst developers who took part. The winning application, Dubai Metro, was developed by Tareq Atiek, a UAE-based developer. Tareq was presented with the first place prize of a trip for two to the Seychelles at the Microsoft offices in Dubai.

The Microsoft Tech Out competition encouraged local developers to build compelling applications that are specifically relevant to the UAE market. After a close race between over 250 participants, the Dubai Metro App was selected based on its usability, creativity and significance to the local market.

Michael Mansour, Director for Developer and Platform Technologies for Microsoft Gulf commented “Microsoft is always eager to encourage innovation particularly amongst aspiring developers. We are pleased that the competition has generated all this interest from participants across the country. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Tareq and thank everyone who registered to take part in the competition and congratulate the winner who has developed a very exciting and meaningful application for UAE residents using the power of the Windows 7 platform. Undoubtedly this app will help improve the quality of life of Dubai Metro travelers. ”

The Dubai Metro Application is built entirely on Windows 7 platform and allows users to map their route through Dubai on-board the metro on their Windows Phone. “We are excited about the winning Dubai Metro Application and the potential it has to improve the quality of life for residents of the UAE. We will continue to engage developers in 2012, by equipping them with the right tools, opportunities, knowledge and infrastructure that will enable them to foster an innovative mind set and harness their skills,” said Samer Abu Ltaif, General Manager Microsoft Gulf. More info

DUBAI – His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, received a memento plaque as a gift from the staff of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of his accession as the Ruler of the emirate.

* Shaikh Mohammad enters a station with Mattar Al Tayer. * Image Credit: WAM

The event was attended by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; and Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The gift was delivered to Shaikh Mohammed by Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive Director of the RTA, who expressed his happiness and pride on the behalf of the employees on the anniversary occasion.

Al Tayer said the gift dedicated to Shaikh Mohammed includes a thumbnail image of the tourism and service projects carried out and accomplished by the RTA upon the orders and directives by the Vice-President.

He reiterated that the commemorative plaque embodies the vision of Shaikh Mohammed and reflects the sentiments of pride and gratitude by all staff of the RTA in return for the care and attention of Shaikh Mohammed to the RTA projects.

Dubai: Years ago, the idea of an Emirati woman whizzing past the city driving a train would have seemed like the ponderings of an over-imaginative mind.

* Image Credit: Francois Nel /Gulf News * Mariam Al Safar, the first Emirati woman train attendant, at work on the Dubai Metro. Her duties include train preparation prior to arrival and departure and maintaining security measures for passenger cabins.

But today, 28-year-old Mariam Al Safar has achieved this milestone of becoming the first Emirati woman to drive a train, not only in the UAE, but also in the Middle East.

Speaking to Gulf News while driving the Dubai Metro, Mariam proudly declared: “I am always open to challenges and I am not afraid to take risks.”

“I work hard and my job is my top priority,” she said.

Although the Dubai Metro is driverless and is operated from a centralised control room, maintenance works or technical glitches call for the need to drive the train manually.

To demonstrate her skills, Mariam began by opening what appears like a cabinet to reveal the controls of the train and by switching the train to manual mode.

She explained that preparations are essential before embarking on each trip, such as testing the radio devices, communicating the destination with the control room, and ensuring the route is clear.

Further, the brakes, horn and wipers are tested before a confirmation is passed to the control room that the train is now fully prepared for journey.

Dressed in the Metro uniform for Emirati women — an Abaya with designs that match with the prints on uniforms worn by expatriate employees — Mariam said that women in the UAE are constantly breaking free from stereotypes and experimenting beyond the routine nine-to-five jobs.

Safety and security

She currently holds the position of a train attendant at the Metro, and is also the team leader of her group.

Her duties include train preparation prior to arrival and departure, maintaining security measures for passenger cabins and boarding procedures, maintaining consistent customer service and reporting directly to the Metro Controller to ensure safety and security. It also includes preparing schedules for the trains and train attendants, managing the Metro attendants, and ensuring cleanliness on all Metro Cabins.

One of the requirements of her job that may seem difficult to some is the need to work in shifts, which sometimes begin as early as 3am or 4am, she said. But, this is not a challenge once you get used to it, she quickly added. More info

The architect of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE completes six successful years as the Ruler of Dubai on January 4, 2012.

Dubai Metro

Sheikh Mohammed’s vision has transformed Dubai into an enviable city, which nations around the world compete to replicate.

The mastermind of Dubai’s transformation, Sheikh Mohammed, went out to turn Dubai into the tourism capital of the world. His mantra was – build it and they will come.

The drive to be a tourist’s paradise resulted in ever larger and more lavish projects. It’s hard to believe that the city was mostly desert just a short while ago.

Tradition and innovation meet in Dubai. Mosques and traditional Emirati villas stand amid daring examples of modern architecture.

Dubai has emerged as the favorite shopping capital and a tourists haven.

The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is held once a year. Varieties of activities take place at the Global Village and in shopping centres throughout Dubai and raffle prizes include kilos of gold or luxury cars. Dubai Summer Surprises, a series of commercial and cultural events and entertainment, was created to attract visitors during the Gulf summer season. The Dubai Air Show is one of the biggest in the world and it takes place every second November.

Golf enthusiasts can hone their skills at the Emirates Golf Club, which hosts the prestigious PGA Desert Classic or at the Dubai Creek Golf Club in the heart of the city.

Water sports take place on the beaches of the larger hotels or at private clubs. Desert safaris are a great way to discover the beauty of the desert.

Sheikh Mohammed oversaw the development of numerous projects in Dubai including the creation of the Palm Islands and the luxury Burj Al Arab hotel. He also promoted the construction of Burj Khalifa, which is now the tallest free-standing structure in the world, world’s tallest building.

There are over 500 lodging establishments in Dubai and the Burj Al Arab tops the list. Billed as a ‘7 star’ hotel, along with the the Atlantis, its unique architecture is based on the curve of a wind-filled sail. The Burj Al Arab has come to symbolise Dubai, at 321 metres, it is the tallest hotel in the world.

Jumeirah Beach Hotel, uniquely shaped like a breaking wave, has wonderful beaches and gardens and is located next to Wild Wadi, one of the world’s biggest water-based theme parks.

Dubai has been long known as the ‘city of gold’. Dubai is a tax free shopping haven for gold lovers and is the Middle East’s center of jewelry market. Moreover, Gold in Dubai is the cheapest in the world.

The Global Village is the world’s largest leisure, tourism and entertainment project.

The Mall of Emirates has Middle East’s first indoor ski slope, Ski Dubai. The Ski Dubai has a skiing area that is third largest in the world. Ski Dubai has five runs of varying difficulty, height, and steepness. The longest run is 400 meters with a fall of 60 meters. More info