RTA launches Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport 'DAST'

The Award aims at heightening awareness and motivating individuals, as well as organizations of the community, to play an active & constructive role in supporting the RTA in realizing its objectives in developing solutions, systems & practices of sustained transport. The Award will also highlight the leading role of the RTA in fostering partnership & relations with all strategic bodies & partners in the fields of mobility, safety and conservation of environment.

The Award will contribute to realizing the strategic objectives of the RTA in integrating transport systems, achieving highest levels of safety & security, highlighting the significance of sustained development, and caring for the environment such that it will remain under key focus of local organizations & media. Under this context, official analyses indicate that traffic jams in Dubai result in economic losses estimated as AED4.5 billion per annum, whereas the cost resulting from traffic accidents is estimated in the order of AED400 million per annum. Moreover, using various modes of transport results in environmental damage in terms of air pollutants, noise, and vehicle wastes such as tires, oils, batteries ... etc.

This was announced in a press conference held by H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board Executive Director of RTA, and attended by Engineer Essa Abdul Rahman Al Dossari, CEO of Marine Agency & Chairperson of the Higher Committee and General Secretary of the award and Engineer Bader Mattar Al Siri, Director of the Traffic Department & Assistant General Secretary of the Award.

"Establishing a secure, integrated & effective transport system, ensuring safety of users and conserving environment is among the biggest challenges confronting countries, organizations and authorities engaged in planning, designing and construction of road networks & transport systems. Current efforts focus on developing an integrated transport system which is able to interact with the requirements of transit & mobility,"

said Al Tayer.

"The best international practices concluded that these objectives could only be realized through an integrated system based on multiple criteria that includes improving & developing road networks, providing good-quality means of transport, enacting & implementing transport legislations, optimizing utilisation of traffic technologies, and enhancing the role of transport system users through adopting systems & practices that contribute to developing an integrated & sustainable transport system. Such criteria also include motivating the elements that lead to increasing & enhancing the role of transport system users, whether being individuals, authorities or agencies that contribute in achieving integrated & sustainable transport systems. Awards systems are considered among the best methods in this field," he commented.

Al Tayer explained that there are three categories targeted by the Award. The first one is Local & Federal Government Organizations. These organizations play a huge role in contributing to implementation of RTA programs & plans with regards to adopting the best practices & initiatives in the fields of transport, safety & conservation of environment. The second category is Private Sector Organizations; which have a vital role in impacting transport & safety system in the emirate. The third category is Public Utility Organizations operating within the emirate of Dubai.

"Through opening an opportunity to the above-mentioned three categories, we are seeking to ensure maximum possible participation of various departments, agencies, companies, and public utility societies operating in the emirate of Dubai. We also aspire to enhance the feeling that they are an integral part of the comprehensive transport systems & solutions, they are affected and affect this system, and they have the ability to do more and more effectively in various fields of sustained transport" commented Al Tayer.

The Chairman of the RTA stated that the key elements of the Award are identified in three categories. The first one is Managing & Streamlining Mobility Processes; this category is related to the initiatives & practices that aim at minimizing reliance on private vehicles in mobility and shifting towards other modes of transport (such as buses, rail, marine transport, walking, and cycling). This is particularly important as Dubai is considered one of the cities that are heavily dependent on private vehicles in transport.

Under this category there are initiatives and practices which lead to reducing the number of trips made by private vehicles, such as car-pooling and initiatives that obviate the need for transit, such as depending on communication technologies in performing the required job. It also involves initiatives & practices that lead to uplifting the percentage of using public & private mass transit systems such as providing buses to commute employees and offering incentives to employees who use public transport systems. They also include initiatives that result in boosting the level and smoothness of mobility of persons with special needs.

The second key element is Conservation of Environment, said Al Tayer. This element is related to initiatives & practices that lead to minimizing levels & effects of air-pollution resulting from various transport modes. It also includes initiatives & practices that lead to reducing levels & effects of sound resulting from these modes, in addition to initiatives & practices that lead to reducing levels & effects of pollution resulting from oils, tires, batteries and other wastes of various transport modes, said Al Tayer.

The third key element, he said, is safety; as safety of human elements engaged in operating and using the transport system is of paramount importance in the plan of the RTA, particularly in view of the statistics which indicate that mortality rates of traffic accidents in Dubai rose to 20 cases per each 100 thousands of inhabitants, whereas such ratio ranges from 5 to 8 death cases per each 100 thousands of inhabitants in countries like Sweden, Britain, & Germany. This key element also includes initiatives & practices that have directly or indirectly contributed to uplifting levels of safety associated with users of transport facilities and modes, vehicles, and transport facilities themselves in terms of designing, planning & operation.

On another hand, Engineer Essa Al Dossari spoke about the standards of applying for the Award. He stated that nomination for the Award cover three aspects (Managing & Streamlining Transport Processes, Conserving Environment, and Safety). Participation application shall include the title, concept, results and sustained development of the initiative.

"Applying for the Award shall be made through completing the form specially made for the Award, which will be released by the RTA in the coming few days along with a comprehensive guide for the Award participants. The Guide aims at explaining the detailed stipulations made for applications, how to complete applications & forward participations, deadlines set for applications, and other basic information related to the Award & its procedures" Al Dossari said.

He added that there will be financial rewards to honour the winners in the three categories of the Award, in addition to Excellence Trophy of Sustained Transport Award to be awarded to all winners in the three categories. The cost of the Award will be financed through private sector sponsorships. RTA will launch a comprehensive media & promotional campaign to introduce the Award, and construct a website to encourage the largest possible segment of the targeted categories to make effective participation and contribute to meeting the objectives of the Award.

Al Tayer issues a decision of forming a High Committee of the Award

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board & Executive Director of Roads & Transport Authority issued an administrative decision ordering the formation of a Higher Committee of Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport. The decision provided that engineer Essa Al Dossari, CEO of Marine Agency, to be appointed as Chairperson of the Higher Committee and Secretary General of the Award. Engineer Bader Al Siri, Director of Traffic, appointed as Assistant Secretary General of the Award.

The committee includes as members the Director of Strategic Planning of Transport Dep't, Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications Dep't, Director of Administrative Services Dep't, Deputy Director of Finance Dep't, Deputy Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications Dep't, Deputy Director of Contracts & Procurement Dep't, Manager of Excellence & Systems, Manager of Transport Policies & Legislations.

The Committee will supervise the overall business of the teams of Dubai Sustained Transport Award. It will also prepare, review, and approve the standards & policies of the Award. In addition to that it will participate in preparing the general budget, ensure finance sources, and task external bodies to judge the Award.

The decision stipulated the tasks of the Chairperson and Secretary General of the Award in forming the work teams of the Award along with specifying its roles, powers, & follow-up of approved decisions.

It also included reviewing implementation charts of the work teams, representing the Award locally and with the media, approving all transactions and financial requirements of the Award in accordance with the approved budget, preparing periodical & final budgets of the Award & submitting them to the Board of Directors for final endorsement, and preparing findings & final recommendations compiled by the approved Judging Panel of all Award Categories & submitting them to the Chairman & Executive Director of the RTA for final endorsement.