The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will be play a key role in staging the Government Asset Management Congress 2012; the first of its kind in the Middle East, from 28 to 29 May 2012, at the Address Dubai Marina Hotel featuring the presence of worldwide experts and asset management professionals.

Abdullah Al Madani, CEO of RTA Corporate Technical Support Services Sector, said: “This international Congress will feature the participation of an elite bunch of world-class experts specialized in asset management hailing from several countries including; the United Kingdom, Australia, Bahrain, and Oman among others. The Congress aims to transfer knowledge to all concerned parties in the public and private sector, who are keen on adopting best-in-class asset management techniques and raising their awareness in this field.”

“The RTA is the first Middle Eastern entity to receive the international “PAS 55″ certification in asset management, as it incorporated asset sustainability in its strategic objectives right from inception. This prompted more than 16 entities from various departments and agencies across the UAE to visit the RTA to familiarize with the integrated asset management system, and learn from the experiences and techniques we apply,” he added.

In a related context, Al Madani underlined the importance of attracting such global experts to deliver working papers and hold specialized workshops in order to address the requirements of the audience in general and the RTA in particular. “The event will offer access to modern & sophisticated asset management methods, which we can adopt to improve the business conduct. The Pre-Congress Kick Start Day will feature a Masrterclass workshop for asset management professionals, combining 5 specialists from the RTA and other guests to thrash out joint initiatives in this score,” continued Al Madani.

Highlighting the key topics to be discussed during the two-day Congress, the CEO of Corporate Technical Support Services Sector, said, “The core topics will  shed light on methods of asset management of transportation infrastructure, strategic asset management, frameworks of asset management, expanding the lifespan of infrastructure asset, future planning for managing infrastructure asset, sustainability, monetary value of infrastructure asset, and the strategic maintenance along with the related technological systems.”

The working papers of the Congress will discuss a variety of topics, where the Institute of Asset Management will deliver a working paper on “The Quality System in Asset Management,” and “ISO 55000″. Working papers from the Netherlands and Scotland will also cast light on “Asset Management Systems” and “Asset Management Strategies”. Local working papers will also be delivered touching on power transmission systems, corporate governance, investment in infrastructure, and training & consultancy in asset management.

“The Government Asset Management Congress will bring about a quality shift in supporting RTA strategic objectives, and bolstering its standing as a flagship entity in this field,” said Al Madani in a final remark. More info

DUBAI — The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has raised Dh4.5 million in online auction of number plates over three days.

A total of 615 number plates were on offer to 195 bidders.

Commenting on the auction, Mohammed Abdul Kareem 
Nimaat, Director of the RTA’s Vehicles Licensing Agency, said: “The 12^th Online Auction was devoted to a diverse cast 
of numbers bearing different codes in response to suffice 
the needs of individuals 
interested in buying distinguished plates online in a 
transparent and hassle-free manner.

“Staging online auctions is an integral part of the services the Licensing Agency is keen to provide to the public at world-class standards.”

The success of these auctions is a testament to the plans chalked out by the agency, 
especially the timing and the numbers, besides striking a balance between supply and demand in the local market, he added.

At the auction, the four-digit plate M-2011 sold for Dh38,400; M-9110 went for Dh36,000; and H-7867 raised Dh31,500.

The 13^th Online Auction will be held by the Licensing Agency in June and will have over 150 plates of three, four and five digits on offer. More info

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The National Identity Team, Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) launched “Read and Elevate,” program to help male and female employees become proficient in reciting, memorizing and modulating (tajweed) of the Holy Quran.

Dr. Aysha Al Busmait, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication, Head of the National Identity Team at RTA Administrative Support Services Sector.

This step comes as part of the “Good Eloquence” initiative adopted by the Team in a bid to maintain the UAE‘s national identity by advocating the use of Arabic language, avoiding common mistakes, and raising the religious awareness and culture.

Dr. Aysha Al Busmait, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication, Head of the National Identity Team at RTA Administrative Support Services Sector, said, “Preservation of our national identity is a religious, national and moral duty.”

She added that “As Islam is one of the most important components of our national identity, the team is prompted to embed it as a core component of its programs, as the religious faith in human beings contributes to their advancement, development, and nobility, and makes them helpful and distinguished, and benefiting all people around.”

“The program, which is overseen by a panel of Holy Quran reciting and modulation scholars, and certified by the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai, hosts the participating employees at men prayer hall, at RTA Head Office, while women prayer hall hosts the female employees. It starts daily at 07:30 am and continues up to 09:00 am. During the session, participants receive practical training on reciting a medium-sized Sura of the Holy Quran, with focus on modulation and memorization. More info

Dubai: The Licencing Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is all set to release about 125 distinguished vehicle licensing plates comprising 2, 3, 4 and 5-digit number plates through its 76th Open Auction due on May 19.

Registration of interested participants will open on Saturday and will last for one week, said the Director of RTA Vehicles Licensing Mohammed Abdul Karim Nimaat.

“The next auction would offer an array of much sought-after distinctive number plates as they would combine 2 and 3-digit number plates of all codes in addition to 4 and 5-digit plates of code ‘M’,” he said.

“The Agency opted to hold the second open auction this year in response to the wishes of customers who were instrumental for the success of RTA’s future auctions, be it open or online,” he added.

Nimaat said that during the forthcoming open auction, about 125 distinguished numbers will be offered covering all codes highlighted by binary numbers such as (J 14), (K 51), and (I 56), triple digit plates including numbers such as (G 777), (J 200), (J 700), (K 400), (I 900) and (J 500), and four-digit plates, examples of which include (G 7777), (K 2000) and (M 4000), in addition to 5-digit plates such as (K 55555), (K 22222) and K (20000).

“Interested participants in the auction may get registered at Deira Licensing Centre, Main Customer Service Centre, Unified Services Centre (Al Tawar Municipality), and RTA website (www.rta.ae),” elaborated Nimaat, adding that registration for the auction would be open up to the day of the auction from 3pm to 5pm.  More info

A delegation from the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) visited the Sultan Al Owais School for Basic Education in Dubai as part of the initiative launched by the RTA in May 2010 entitled ‘Read More’ targeting public and private school students aged 7 to 14 years.

The move aims to promote the importance of reading among school students, refine their skills and encourage them to acquire knowledge on various subjects, which contribute to broadening their mental faculties and furthering their intellectual capacities.

The visit was attended by Essa Abdul Rahman Al Dosari, CEO of Public Transport Agency; Dr. Aysha Al Busmait, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication; Adel Shakri, Director of Transportation Systems, and Furat Al Amri, Director of Franchising and Enforcement. More info

Statistics in Saudi Arabia, USA serve warnings of a possible spread of the disease among children

The Strategic Planning Dep’t at the Strategy & Corporate Governance Sector of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has recently held an educative lecture about Autism disorder entitled “Accept, Embrace and Support” in the context of the community-oriented initiatives regularly staged throughout the year. In the lecture, Sara Baqir, Head of Community Service Unit at the Dubai Autism Center, shed light on the disease highlighting its alarming spread rates around the globe and focused on the cautionary signs that have to be taken into consideration in order to check the onset of the disease early on.

Nasir Bu Shihab, Director of RTA Strategic Planning, highlighted the importance of the lecture as it communicates an important communal & humanitarian message defining the concept of autism; which has emerged as a syndrome posing a huge threat to communities given its remarkable spreading proportions. He stressed the importance of raising the mental awareness and perception of this dangerous malady which is knocking the alarm bells, citing that hosting an expert in this regard would add to the importance of the lecture in providing core data about autism, and communicating it to RTA employees who in turn would pass it on to others.

For her part Sara Baqir was delighted for taking part in the lecture and cooperating with the RTA; which, she says, is keen on forging firm links with community members through transferring knowledge to its employees and enriching their knowhow in various fields. She further added: “Autism is among the neurodevelopment disorders causing brain dysfunction that lasts throughout the life of the patient. Males are more vulnerable to catch the disease than females.”

“The USA described this disease of late as a plague, since the number of victims has increased exponentially to hit 1 case among each 88 children in 2011. Moreover, statistics conducted by Saudi Arabia revealed that autism has increased 10 folds over the last four years compared to the previous four years. Autism has become more rampant than children’s diabetes, cancer, visual impairment, and Down syndrome.

“There is a wide range of features associated with autistic children which adults have to look out for in their children, especially from birth up to 3 years of age, most notably the lack of interaction with others, avoidance of optical communication with others, and typical attitudes such as the continuous ebb & flow coupled with self-harm attitudes, inappropriate playing patterns, anaphylaxis or total lack of sensitivity, lack of sensing dangers, and specific mobility patterns.”

In a related development, Baqir says that 50% of autistic children lack the ability to speak, or experience difficulty in starting or continuing a conversation. “Moreover, they lack the ability to recall words from memory, repeat routine sentences, experience difficulty in changing their style or repeating a speech, and often tend to mix up pronouns. Reasons for autism can be attributed to genetic, or environmental factors in addition to others as studies are still progressing in figuring out them,” she added.

About the appropriate treatment, Baqir said:”There is no as yet a medical technique for the treatment of autism; however, there are some medicines to curb the associated symptoms of the disease. There are also important rehabilitation and educational programs, and studies have proved their efficacy in the treatment of the disease if early management or intervention in discovering autistic cases is made.

“The Dubai Autistic Center has been established in 2003 with the aim of integrating this segment in the community through providing effective remedial programs capable of heightening the community awareness about autism disorders. Currently the Center has 46 male & female students, and delivers a host of services including awareness-raising activities. It also delivers different therapeutic programs such as the treatment of speech, language, special education, movement & functions, computer education, and prayer offering along with a variety of outdoor activities, community-interaction and government communication programs,” she elaborated.

At the end of the lecture, Nasir Bu Shihab presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Sara Baqir in commendation of her efforts and endeavours of the Center in offering interactive & effective initiatives to raise the awareness of the community about autism. More info

A delegation from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry visited the Customer Service Department, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to get acquainted with the systems and programmes adopted by the Department in customer relations, especially as regards suggestions made by internal or external customers along with the mechanism adopted to motivate them to make feasible suggestions in the context of sharing experiences capable of improving the overall business conduct.

The meeting included a video presentation highlighting various sections of the Customer Service Department, and tasks entrusted to the 7 customer service centers spread across the Emirate of Dubai.

The delegation was received by Ahmed Mahboob, RTA Director of Customer Service, who stressed the importance of communicating with various community organizations as such exercise will have significant positive outcomes in contributing to strengthening the communicative & cooperative links and sharing expertise needed for achieving the common aspirations for delivering improved services at world-class standards.

The meeting included a video presentation highlighting various sections of the Customer Service Department, and tasks entrusted to the 7 customer service centers spread across the Emirate of Dubai.

The presentation also touched on the role of the RTA Call Center in communicating with the external customers by responding to their calls, complaints or inquiries. The delegation was also briefed on the integrated Customer Relations Management “CRM” system applied by Dep’t in handling complaints, lost & found items, complaint reports, inquiries, and suggestions, among others.

Mahboob highlighted various communication channels through which all external suggestions are channelled, including customer service centers, Call Center via the toll free number 8009090, RTA’s social communication networks; be it Facebook, Twitter, or RTA’s website www.rta.ae. He stated that the distinguished suggestions that had the potential of contributing to improving RTA services & programmes would be taken into account, and the initiator would be contacted within 20 days maximum to respond to the idea submitted.

In a related context, the Director of Customer Service commented on the annual programme held to honour customers who communicate positive ideas to the RTA, adding that the RTA had a host of diverse methods in place that encourage external customers to submit suggestions including various awareness campaigns and prestigious prizes allocated to them.

As regards rewarding RTA employees and motivating them, Mahboob said, “By presenting different monthly topics, the RTA’s Suggestions Committee encourages employees to submit positive ideas befitting the idea in question, and rewards them on monthly basis.” More info

The Rail Operation Dep’t – Rails Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), has recently run a blood donation campaign for the benefit of thalassemia patients, in collaboration with the Dubai Health Authority (Blood Donation Centre), as part of its efforts towards rolling out community-oriented initiatives that contribute to heightening the awareness of all employees.

RTA employee donating blood.

Ramadan Abdullah, Director of RTA Rail Operation, lauded this cooperation with community organizations aimed at achieving the common objectives such as raising employees awareness of the importance and benefits accruing to all parties involved as a result of blood donation, particularly as thalassemia patients are in a dire & constant need for blood. Such a practice prompts others to donate, even a small amount of blood, to save a patient’s live. Moreover the blood donation exercise is an opportunity to recheck the donors’ health safety and take appropriate preventive measures, if necessary.”

“We have opted to undertake this initiative as a social responsibility incumbent on everyone in a bid to instil high values & loyalty for this country, which spares no effort in providing all means of decent life for citizens. Therefore, encouraging community members to donate blood and save patients’ lives is an ideal step towards embedding the voluntary blood donation culture in the community, and passing this culture over to other generations so that it becomes a duty and a standing right for patients in need of blood transfusion,” he said, adding that a blood donation bus was stationed in front of the RTA Head Office, which saw an overwhelming response from RTA employees who demonstrated a high spirit of cooperation and love of giving to others. More info

Anyone who has heard the choking roar of an engine being throttled as the sleek frame of a Formula One car turns a corner will find it hard to associate the sport with environmental awareness.

Green and go: Formula One teams are turning to environmental thinking by reducing their carbon footprint. Julio Munoz / EPA

But seeking to reduce carbon emissions has become standard corporate-social-responsibility fare – and even the F1 stables have jumped on the bandwagon.

One of these is the Lotus F1 team, whose drivers include Kimi Räikkönen, a former world champion.

Lotus drivers finished second and third in the Bahrain Grand Prix on April 22. The team aims to achieve carbon neutrality by the end of this year.

While Lotus was neither first in the race in Bahrain nor the leader in turning to environmental thinking among F1 teams, it is in the driver’s seat in reducing, rather than simply offsetting, its carbon footprint.

The team has hired Advanced Global Trading (AGT), a carbon-credits trader in Dubai that provides consultancy for companies looking to boost their green credentials.

AGT, which Lotus hired for three years, will first audit Lotus’s operations, including its headquarters in the United Kingdom and its suppliers, as well as the Lotus team’s activities on the road.

After thorough stocktaking, AGT will advise Lotus on ways of reducing its carbon emissions.

“To properly reduce emissions, you have to reduce them in your daily work,” said Stephen Curnow, the chief commercial officer at Lotus. “It’s not just a case of just buying credits.”

Despite the best intentions, a sport based on driving big-engined, fuel-burning cars at high speeds will never be able to function without emitting carbon dioxide, so the team will make use of AGT’s trading capabilities to buy credits to achieve the desired carbon neutrality.

AGT will also help Lotus’s sponsors, among them Marks & Spencer, Unilever and Symantec, to reduce their emissions.

“The image of F1 is perhaps slightly unfair,” said Mr Curnow. “If you look at any large international event, you need to transport fans, equipment … so really, F1 is no worse or better than [many of those competitions].”

At least compared with many companies and organisations in the Middle East, the gas-guzzling F1 seems to fare favourably, given the still-fledgling nature of green thinking in the region. This provides opportunities for AGT’s carbon-emissions trading business.

AGT, founded two years ago, relocated its headquarters to Dubai shortly after its inception. The company has several offices around the world.

Although AGT has advised multinational companies such as Rolls-Royce and Samsung on carbon reduction, its UAE operation has focused on the trading of carbon credits.

“Our main business in Dubai has been on the personal investment side; credits are a tradeable commodity,” said Charles Stephenson, the director at AGT.

This is changing, however.

AGT has started working with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to transform it into the region’s first transport regulator to achieve carbon neutrality. AGT also counts the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority and the property company Landmark among its clients. More info

Dubai plate number H 27 caught the fancy of bidders at the 75th Distinguished Number Plates Auction held recently by the Licensing Agency at the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), fetching a neat Dh1.34 million.

The open Auction, which was the first to be arranged this year, yielded total proceeds amounting to Dh17.649m as a result of selling binary as well as three, four and five-digit licensing number plates, the RTA said in a statement.

“The total number of plates offered in the auction was 105 plates spanning various plate codes, however, the binary plate (H 27) ignited the interested of bidders pushing the price to the highest limit in the auction, clocking Dh1.34m,” said Mohammed Abdul Karim Nimaat, Director of Vehicles Licensing at RTA Licensing Agency.

Another unique number plate went for over Dh1 million at the same auction, which attracted 230 bidders from various segments of the community. “The quintet plate (K 11111) fetched Dh1.07m, quartet plate (H 7777) was exchanged for Dh760,000, triple plate (J 101) was sold for Dh420,000, and another treble plate (H 300) brought back Dh420,000,” Nimaat revealed.