RTA launches Water Bus Service Events targeted at more than 30,000 students

Ahmed Mohammed Al Hamadi, Director of Operation & Performance Department at RTA Marine Agency said that the Water Bus Service Event will continue for two months starting from January till February 2008. "Marine Agency launched this event in order to bring more focus to the services of the Water Bus, which was commissioned in August 2007. This marine transport mode is characterised by highly sophisticated and top class technology customised to save time and effort, and provide luxury atmosphere to Water Bus users. The Agency opted to launch this event as a tool to introduce the public to the multiple services and benefits provided by the Water Bus," he said.

Al Hammadi further added that Marine Agency has identified the targeted audience of this event, namely the students (boys and girls) in public and private schools, colleges and universities in the city of Dubai. "Our aim is to heighten the awareness of the Water Bus among more than 30,000 students in the city of Dubai," according to Al Hammadi.

He added that the program includes four events: accompanying students in a tour across Dubai Creek via the tourist line of the Water Bus, a free visit to Heritage Museum of Marine Agency at the floating office in Al Seef Station, providing presentations by Marine Agency staff to the students, and attending popular bands such as Yawla.

He pointed out that there will be several other accompanying programs and elaborated on the rich components of the Heritage Museum at Al Seef Station. It includes antique images of abra at Dubai Creek, and tools used in diving trips, such as Ballad, which is a robe ending with a piece of lead used to gauge the depth of sea water. The Museum also includes prototypes of antique ships used in diving and tourist trips.

Water Bus brochures will be circulated among students and the general public, and there will also be some competitions with prizes to the winners.

Al Hammadi further added that Water Bus Service Event is just a beginning of a process that will last longer. "We will keep coming up with other events down the line so as to reach the biggest possible number of the public, and will save no time or effort to achieve this objective. Our next port of call will be Dubai Government employees, in Sha Allah" said Al Hammadi in his concluding remark.