Source: www.rta.ae
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will be taking part in the 60th Congress & Exhibition of the International Public Transport Association (UITP) to be held in Switzerland from 26 to 30 May 2013. The event, which is held biannually and considered a showpiece event in the public transport industry, features the participation of 150 delegates from all over the globe, including the UAE.
An accompanying Exhibition will also be held during the event spanning 30 thousand square meters where 252 firms and entities will be exhibiting their products and services to visitors whose number is projected to be in excess of 12 thousand hailing from 95 countries.
H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, will head RTA’s delegation taking part in the Congress & Exhibition comprising of: RTA Board Member Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla, Acting CEO of Public Transport Agency Dr. Yousef Al Ali, Advisor of the Dubai Taxi Corporation cum Chairman of the Higher Committee of the MENA Center for Transport Excellence Abdul Aziz Malik, Ex CEO of Public Transport Agency Eisa Al Dosari, and several directors and engineers of the RTA.
Al Tayer will also take part in the meetings of the General Assembly of the UITP which will be attended by top 300 public transport executives worldwide. The meeting will see the election of a new Chairman of the UITP to succeed the incumbent Chairman Othman Tiam. Al Tayer will cast his vote in the election amongst 110 officials entitled to vote for the new Chairman, and will also deliver a keynote speech in the opening session of the UITP MENA Congress.
Culmination of Success
Al Tayer stated that the importance of the UITP Congress stemmed from being an international gathering of public transport specialists to share and showcase cutting-edge technologies in the infrastructure of constructing rail and tunnel networks, interior design of trains, entertainment systems in addition to public buses and marine transit systems. “The event offers a superb opportunity for decision makers in the public transport sector, as well as other stakeholders, to review the latest developments in the public transport industry along with the corporate systems, financial plans, technologies and industrial innovations in this field, besides discussing the best practices and reviewing the successful models adopted throughout the globe. The accompanying Exhibition is a great platform for participants hailing from all parts of the world to showcase their products, services and solutions in the transportation field,” he continued.
“RTA’s participation in this international centerpiece culminates the successful hosting of the previous edition of the UITP Congress and Exhibition held in Dubai during 10-14 April 2011. The RTA has had a huge success in hosting the event for the first time in the MENA region highlighted by an increase in the number of participants and exhibitors in the accompanying Urban Mobility & Transportation Exhibition; which covered 30 thousand square meters, recording a 12% rise in the exhibition area and the number of visitors of the event topped 10 thousand persons. Moreover, the event which was hosted by the RTA, saw the distribution of awards to the winners in the contest of doubling the share public transport (PTx2) held for the first time ever by the UITP.
“The resounding success made by the RTA in hosting and organizing the Conference, has encouraged the UITP to boost the cooperation with the RTA culminated in the signing of an agreement with the UITP, pursuant to which the MENA Centre for Transport Excellence was established at the RTA Headquarters, besides agreeing to hold a congress and an exhibition for public transport in Dubai biennially for ten years, starting from 2014,” stated Al Tayer.
He added: “By participating in the Congress and the accompanying Exhibition, the RTA aims to inform the audience of the vital projects undertaken by the RTA with regard to the infrastructure required to operate the public transport network along with the strategic initiatives related to the integration of all public transport means such as buses, metro, marine transport and taxis, besides showcasing RTA’s experience in health, safety and conserving the environment.”
His Excellency the Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of RTA further added that “the city of Dubai is bustling with activity, being a prominent regional & international economic, commercial, tourist and financial hub, coupled with rising urbanization and demographic growth rates. Moreover, the city boasts concepts and visions enabling it to launch strategic initiatives and plans aimed to confront challenges at all levels. RTA’s work teams continue implementing several strategic projects around the clock as per the set time frame in line with RTA’s endeavors to make the emirate of Dubai an example to be emulated by regional countries seeking to expand and develop their transportation sectors.”
RTA’s Stand
RTA participates is to have a large stand in the Exhibition divided into four sections; the first of exhibits exciting details on the specialty and comprehensiveness of public transport systems in the Emirate of Dubai and envisages the growth of the public transport sector in the Emirate of Dubai. The Section highlights the evolution of the mass transport drive from past to present, which includes the Dubai Metro, a modern fleet of public buses & taxis, and a wide array of marine transit modes, in addition to outlining the future of public transport in Dubai. The first Section also showcases programs and initiatives launched by the RTA to encourage residents and visitors to migrate from using private vehicles to using public transport such as a Wojhati, Awselni and Sharekni programs.
The second Section is devoted to aquatinting visitors with the MENA Centre for Transport Excellence, which is considered an information center that disseminates the best practices adopted in the transport sector. The Center attends to training the concerned bodies entrusted with the mass transit on the best international practices, besides conducting transport-related researches and studies, enhancing the cooperation and sharing experiences among all parties concerned with transport within the region and beyond, including universities. The Center helps disseminating the culture of public transport in the region, and offering countries of the region exposure to successful practices in the field of mass transport to meet their needs in providing mobility to the population.
The third Section promotes the Public Transport Conference & Exhibition, which is organized and hosted by the RTA biennially for a period of 10 years in collaboration with the UITP. The Conference reviews the latest developments in public transport industry, and the innovative solutions to increase the share of mass transit, besides serving as a regional business development platform to address future challenges of transport, and share experiences and modern technologies in this area.
The fourth Section is designed to boost the odds of Dubai bid for winning the hosting of the World Expo 2020, highlighting the key elements of the infrastructure such as roads and transport networks, among other features enjoyed by the Emirate of Dubai, as well as spotlighting the key tourist attractions and showcasing the cultural, and architectural landmarks in the emirate. More info
