Source: www.rta.ae
Under the auspices and in attendance of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) celebrates on Wednesday February 10th the winning companies and organizations of the 2nd Dubai Award for Sustained Transport (DAST) 2009.
Such Awards aim at encouraging community organizations to play an active and positive role in sustained transport, reasserting the leading role of the RTA in promoting partnerships & cooperation with various entities, and bringing sustained transport issues to the forefront of local bodies and media attention.
H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA announced the winning companies and organizations of the 2nd DAST; as endorsed by an independent panel of experts & specialists from outside the RTA headed by Dr. Salim Ali Al Shafi’ee. The Awards comprise four categories and two Special Recognition categories.
In the category of Special Needs Transportation Requirements the winner was Dubai Airports Co., second came Dubai Center for Special Needs, and the third position went to Emirates Driving Institute.
In the category of Transport Management, the first position was claimed by Dubai World Trade Center, while Dubai Municipality landed the second position, and Dubai Police General Head Quarters finishing third.
In Environment Conservation, the first position was clinched by ENOC Retail Co., while Land Rover Middle East & North Africa Co. finished second, and Al Futtaim Carillion Co came third.
In Transport Safety Category, Emirates Motor Sports Federation landed the first position, and the second position went to Nasser Bin Abdullatif Alserkal Est., and the third position went to Emirates Transport.
In the Special Mention, the Best Academic Research Award was bagged by Mr. Nazim Fawzi Mansour, and Mr. Roohi Abdat, and the Best Media Coverage was won by the New Commercial Medical Center.
Commenting on the Awards, RTA Chairman of the Board and Executive Director said: “Despite being recently introduced, Dubai Award for Sustained Transport has made tremendous success as illustrated by the huge number of initiatives subscribed resulting in a 100% increase in the number of submissions made in the second edition of the Awards compared to the first one. Besides that, there is a substantial improvement in the quality & content of submission made, coupled with a heavy participation among public & private organizations”.
Al Tayer stated that all accepted applications conforming to the stipulations of the Award were assessed by the Judging Panel based on meticulous & detailed assessment criteria in accordance with prior approved weights and grades based on main & sub criteria to ensure accuracy, objectivity and fairness in judging all assessed applications. He pointed out that submissions received have been subjected to 7 basic assessment steps starting with the receipt, scrutiny and verification of participations and ending up with the submission of final assessment results.
In its second edition, the Award comprised four categories, following the introduction of a new category vis-à-vis Special Needs Transportation Requirements category; which is concerned with any initiative or practice that addresses the mobility requirements of the disabled. The Second category (Mobility Management) aims at focusing on applicable practices and initiatives that promote the effectiveness of all types of transportation means. The third category (Environment Conservation) aims at minimizing the adverse effects of mass transportation means on the environment. The submission must include an initiative leading to minimizing the levels of air pollution resulting from various transport means, and minimizing the levels & impacts of visual pollution resulting from various mass transportation means.
The fourth category (Transport Safety) is concerned with the initiatives & practices that contribute to raising the standards of safety and security of mass transportation users through improving the performance metrics and levels related to transport means users. This is envisaged to be realized through advocating & upgrading the knowledge and commitment to safety rules and practices during the operation or use of any transportation mode, besides improving security and safety levels that render mass transportation means safer.
This in turn encompasses the application of simple or sophisticated technologies, modification of transportation means and enhancing the safety features of transportation facilities such as roads, parking lots, bus stations, railways and marine transport.
The second edition of DAST witnessed the introduction of two new categories under Special Recognition Awards; namely: Best Media Coverage; which is intended to promote the awareness of the Award, and the Best Academic Research in the field sustained transport.
