Dubai, Nov 2 (Emirates 247): His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Cabinet Member and Minister of Tolerance; HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA); and HE Khalifa Mohammed Al Suwaidi, General Coordinator of the World Tolerance Summit, have attended RTA’s celebrations of Public Transport Day initiative held at Etisalat Metro Station in Dubai.
A bunch of multi-national children was at the station to receive the said dignitaries upon arrival at the Station. Al Tayer presented to Sheikh Nahyan the first exclusive nol card featuring a design commemorating the Year of Zayed. Sheikh Nahyan then received the Guinness World Records certificate for the most nationalities in a human chain of (96) nationalities, which emulates the superb diversity and peaceful co-existence characterizing the UAE. Sheikh Nahyan posed for photos with the team of the Public Transport Day. RTA organized this event in cooperation with the Ministry of Tolerance and the International Institute for Tolerance.
Sheikh Nahyan, Al Tayer and Al Suwaidi then boarded the Dubai Metro at Etisalat Station, passed by four stations up to the HQ Station, and from there back to Etisalat Station. Sheikh Nahyan chatted with Metro riders taking part in the human series and praised their role in showing the public the importance of using public transport in the daily mobility of people.
Al Tayer briefed Sheikh Nahyan on the objectives of the Public Transport Day initiative launched by RTA in 2010. The initiative promotes the role of Dubai in supporting the efforts to improve the environment and achieve sustainable development. It seeks to encourage people to use public transit means through familiarizing them with the benefits of public transport. At the same, it promotes RTA’s modern public transport means and contributes to the integration of various transit modes.
As part of RTA’s celebrations of Public Transport Day, Al Tayer honoured RTA’s strategic partners comprising public entities and media organisations in recognition of their efforts and effective contribution to RTA’s drive. He also awarded 50 distinguished taxi drivers as part of the Taxi Excellence Awards of the Dubai Taxi Corporation, and the most frequent users of public transport means.
Attendees of the felicitation ceremony, which was held at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, included HE Major General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police; HE Dawood Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality; HE Ahmed Khoury, Director General of the Federal Transport Authority - Land & Maritime; Juma Mohammed Humaidan, Deputy Director General of the Department of Land and Property, and several senior officials from public entities and the media.
Al Tayer paid tribute to the directives and support accorded by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to RTA plans and projects. He also thanked HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council; and HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council, for their follow-up of RTA business since inception. He noted that the support and guidance of their highnesses was the key driver of RTA’s successes.
Al Tayer also thanked the strategic partners for their efforts and support, rendering RTA one of the most advanced and excellent entities at the local and international levels. He also commended the role of various types of mass media in briefing the public about the projects and initiatives of RTA. He pledged to elevate this partnership to the next level of enhanced communication and coordination in delivering the vision of our government.
Best Drivers
A video was shown during the event narrating RTA’s achievements. Al Tayer then honoured the strategic partners: Ministry of Interior, Federal Transport Authority - Land and Maritime, Dubai Police General HQ, Dubai Department of Finance, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Land Department, and the Dubai Future Foundation.
Al Tayer also felicitated media organisations in the UAE and supporters of the Public Transport Day, namely: At The Top Burj Khalifa, Samsung, Fly Dubai, Majid Al Futtaim, Global Village, Cannon, and Serco (operator of Dubai Metro and Tram).
About 50 drivers from Dubai Taxi Corp and franchise companies were awarded under the annual Taxi Drivers Excellence Award held by the RTA for the best drivers. The Award intends to motivate taxi drivers to excel in serving customers, step up compliance with the job and traffic rules, and boost customers’ satisfaction rating. Driver Mohammed Zuwaid Shaiper, from the Dubai Taxi Corporation, was honoured for his positive attitude and assisting a person in obtaining a parking ticket. He also honoured winners of quizzes on the Public Transport Day.
Al Tayer also awarded the five most frequent public transport users from the general public and People of Determination as well. Two winners tied in the first position: Elizalde Belarmino and Mohamed Abdul Kader (People of Determination), each of them got AED25,000. The third was Cesar Medina, the fourth was Anvarm Sadath, and the fifth was Ali Aljaber (People of Determination).
Additionally, Al Tayer honoured the five most frequent public transport riders amongst RTA employees, based on the period 22 October - 1 November. The winner was Ahmed Fatouh Suleiman who got AED20,000, and the runner-up was Nabeel Ibrahim Sayed Abu Taleb who received AED15,000. The third was Al Tayeb Al Zeer Al Tayeb, the fourth was Khaled Abdul Aziz Mahmoud Al Borno, and the fifth was Mohammed Ismail.