On Friday, 1st November 2019, Dubai RTA is all set to celebrate its 10th anniversary. It is for the successful accomplishment of ten consecutive years of the Public Transport Day initiative. The 14th anniversary of the RTA also falls on the same date this year as reported by the authorities. This initiative started ten years back with the objective to provide better public transport facility to all people living in Dubai. This initiative also aims to educate everyone with the benefit of using mass public transportation.
Director-general and RTA's Board of Executive Directors Chairman, H.E Mattar Al Tayer said, “The success of the initiative is reflected in improved public awareness of RTA’s modern public transit means such as the metro, tram, buses and marine transport as well as the integration accomplished between these modes.”
He further stated, “Since its establishment, RTA has embarked on improving and integrating mass transit means. Projects undertaken included Dubai Metro extending 75 km and comprising 47 stations, and Dubai Tram spanning 11 km and connecting 11 stations. The fleet of public buses jumped by 145% from 620 buses in 2006 to 1520 buses in 2018. RTA constructed 2200 bus stops including 689 air-conditioned bus shelters for passengers, and revamped water transport means to encompass the ferry, water bus, water taxi and air-conditioned abra. These improvements contributed to the growth of public transport ridership by 261% from 163 million in 2006 to around 589 million passengers in 2018, thus reflecting an increase in the share of public transport in mobility journeys from 6% in 2006 to 17.5% in 2018”
Dubai has got a robust public transportation network. It consists of Dubai Metro, Bus, Tram, Taxi and Water Taxi services. Further plans for enhancing and increasing the efficiency of the Public transport system is already in place. Robust infrastructural developments are in progress so that people can enjoy a better transit service. There is a special on-going project by Dubai Metro for Route 2020. It is to extend the Red Line up to the site where the internationally famous Dubai Expo 2020 will take place.
There are massive plans in place for the expansion of the bus network. The proposed plan states that by 2020, the bus network will cover around twenty new communities. During the Dubai Expo, there will be huge numbers of visitors in the city. These new bus networks will be helpful to increase the mobility of visitors visiting Dubai during that time. RTA further reported that they already procured around 725 buses and 1612 taxis. As a part of the expansion plan around 17 new bus stations and depots are already constructed.
This Public Transport Day event celebration will take place for 11 days, from 1st November until 11th November. The event will end with the celebration of Dubai Tram’s fifth anniversary. The major highlight of this event includes 2.5 km and 5 km race on Dubai Water Canal. Public transport riders will get a chance to participate in the raffle draw where the winner gets gold bars. The most frequent riders of public transportation in Dubai will also be honoured during this auspicious occasion.
