Source: www.rta.ae
The Public Transport Agency of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a strategic agreement with Emirates Group to commute the employees of the Group from and to their homes and workplaces. The contract runs for 3 years, with an option to renew it for further two years.
The contract, worth about AED100 million, was signed in a ceremony held at RTA’s new premises at Al Garhoud yesterday. Signing on behalf of the RTA was Essa Abdul-Rahman Al Dosari, CEO of RTA Public Transport Agency, and on behalf of Emirates Group signed Adil Al Mulla, Vice President Procurement & Logistics (Services), Emirates Group.
Comprising Emirates Airline and DNATA among other companies, Emirates Group needs to commute more than 15,000 employees everyday between their residences and workplaces at Dubai International Airport, the Group’s Head Office and other sites in Dubai.
Commenting on the Agreement Al Dosari said: “This Agreement will take effect early next month (June) where modern buses dedicated to this service will start commuting employees of Emirates Airline Group from their residences to their workplaces and the other way round, shuttling over 109 routes.
“This step substantiates a new drive recently adopted by the RTA to maximize revenue sources, and comes in the context of the Investment Plan 2010 drawn up by the Agency, envisaging expenditure cuts and revenue maximization. Moreover, the Agreement also boosts the level of services rendered by the Agency and brings them to a broader spectrum of the community,” added Al Dosari.
“By signing this sort of agreements, Public Transport Agency is seeking to hit multiple key objectives that revolve around carrying out studies & joint surveys with other stakeholders to identify mobility bottlenecks encountered by the public, including employees, on daily basis and make joint efforts to work out logical & effective solutions to overcome these difficulties.
“RTA is also seeking to develop joint mobility management programs with all stakeholders with the aim of providing multi-modal transit means for employees of companies and organizations, and encouraging them to use alternative transport means rather than private vehicles. This type of agreement has direct bearing on maintaining passenger safety, minimizing tailbacks and cutting the level of environmental pollution resulting from massive numbers of private cars on roads,” stated the CEO of Public Transport Agency in a final remark.
For his part Adil Al Mulla, Vice-President Procurement & Logistics (Services), Emirates Group, hailed the Agreement and described it as “a vital step down the path of uplifting & broadening the scope of mass transit network in Dubai Emirate to incorporate a big chunk of employees of government & semi-government departments and private businesses; which in turn will contribute to easing traffic jam, slashing the number of accidents, and reducing the environmental pollution”.
“Central Services Unit of Emirates Group is currently providing employees transit services in conjunction with a local company. When we pondered upgrading this service, we realized that Public Transport Agency is the ideal partner considering its extensive experience in mass transit field, and the advanced features of its buses such as security & safety fittings, automatic tracking & monitoring systems and digital display monitors; which provide our employees with safe & high quality transport services.
“This Agreement will play an effective role in implementing the initiative of Emirates Group with regard to broadening and upgrading the mass transit network, and promoting the culture of using public transport in keeping with the high standing of Dubai Emirate as a premier business, trading, service and tourist hub in the region,” said Al Mulla in a concluding remark.
