Public Transport Agency signs a strategic agreement with taxi franchise companies

Implementation of the Agreement will be subject to a six-month probationary period, after which Public Transport Agency, in conjunction with Dubai Taxi Agency & Franchise Companies, will evaluate the results achieved benchmarked against the objectives for which this agreement has been made.

The Agreement was signed on behalf of the RTA by Essa Abdul-Rahman Al Dossari - CEO of Public Transport Agency, and on behalf of Dubai Taxi Agency by Abdul Aziz Malik - CEO of Dubai Taxi Agency.

The Agreement was countersigned by the following representatives of Franchise Companies; Abdullah Al Sabbagh - Director General of CARS Taxi Co., Al Raiyah Omar - Director General of METRO Taxi Co., Raoof Ali - Director General of AL ARABIA Taxi Co., Tawfeeq Metri - Director General of The NATIONAL Taxi Co., Hassan Yousuf - Director General of CITI Taxi Co., and Mahmoud Idris - Director General of HATTA Taxi Co..

In a speech marking this occasion, Al Dossari welcomed the Directors of Taxi Franchise Companies and thanked them for taking part in signing this Strategic Agreement.

"This Agreement is a key step forward and will pave the way for boosting bilateral relations and cooperative links in the interest of all parties involved. It will further enhance the image of Dubai as a leading economic center in the region and a point of attraction of investors from various parts of the globe" said Al Dossari.

"The key objective of signing this Agreement revolves around the concept of improving key performance indicators and upgrading the level of service rendered by Franchise Companies to the public, including citizens, residents, visitors, tourists and various sectors of the community in the emirate of Dubai. It also seeks to identify the objectives & goals shared between Public Transport Agency, Dubai Taxi Agency and Franchise Companies, based on the vision of the RTA to provide safe & smooth transport for all.

"Franchise Companies shall work hand in hand with Public Transport Agency and Dubai Taxi Agency to uplift the caliber of services offered to the public. The objective of providing such service shall not be confined to making profits, but rather it shall seek to provide every convenience to the public and achieve higher standards of excellence through adopting enhanced quality, safety and service level standards.

"Franchise Companies are urged to take part in curricula and training courses which Public Transport Agency & Dubai Taxi Agency are seeking to develop. They are also invited to name their representatives in a joint RTA delegation to visit Singapore to review the best practices, methods and curricula adopted in public transport sector, particularly taxis.

The Agreement includes a number of key provisions, including the Preamble, which details Roles & Responsibilities of the First Party (Public Transport Agency); which is the competent body vested with the authority of providing services and infrastructure of public transport means at the best global standards in the emirate of Dubai.

The Agreement defines the Roles & Responsibilities of the Second Party; which is the service provider desirous of obtaining the franchise of practicing this profession at its own cost & responsibility, coupled with a commitment to abide by the terms & conditions set forth in the Agreement.

It shall also adhere to legislations & circulars issued by the First Party covering operational, financial and administrative aspects along with updates thereof. The Second Party has also got to comply with the service levels provided for in the Agreement.

"The Agreement includes a number of definitions which specify certain aspects including passengers, driver, licensing of drivers after passing prescribed tests, service provider, licensing of service provider, meter, booking & distribution devices, service brands, number plates, and booking & distribution services.

"The Agreement also includes other terms & conditions such as the General Conditions and conditions related to the vehicle, driver, operator or Franchise Co. All of these provisions are subject to legal review by RTA legal consultants. The Agreement also includes responsibilities related to the vehicle, driver and operations.

"Key Performance Indicators Methodology has been based on surveys probing commuter viewpoints in targeted fields per each service covered by the Agreement, so as to assess the quality of service provided. Other factors considered in the KPI Methodology include the type & condition of vehicles based on Look & Feel Principle, as well as other aspects such as safety, security, comfort and luxury. Some aspects are related to drivers, such as attitude towards passengers, personal hygiene, safety, security and attending to passenger comfort & luxury. Other aspects are related to operations, service, availability of vehicles and reliability on the driver to make an accident-free trip" said Al Dosari in a concluding remark.

Jawad Sajwani, Acting Director of Franchise & Control Dep't at Public Transport Agency, commented on the speech of Al Dosari.

He stressed the importance of putting concerted efforts between RTA & Franchise Companies.

"The two parties need to join forces and act in a team spirit to achieve their common objectives and joint interests, driven and inspired by the vision of the Government of Dubai to achieve excellence at all fields so that we can contribute to enhancing the image of Dubai as a premier cosmopolitan city" he added.

Abdullah Sultan Al Sabbag, Director General of CARS Taxi Co., stressed the importance of this Agreement as it sets higher standards of quality, and as it is the first-ever of its kind across the globe.

"We keep in high regards the assiduous efforts made by the RTA, through Public Transport Agency. We praise the initiative of Al Dossari signaling RTA consent to train drivers of Franchise Companies. I hope that this Agreement will form a formidable beginning and an advanced step towards stronger cooperation ties with the RTA in future".

Al Reeh Omer, Director General of METRO Taxi Co., said that he was delighted to have this Agreement signed with the RTA. "The Agreement is a great achievement and will serve the objectives of Franchise Companies of defining new quality standards and achieving highest standards of excellence; which are part of Dubai Government priorities".

The Director General of HATTA Taxi Company, Mahmoud Idris, described the Agreement as one of the most important steps taken by the RTA towards Franchise Companies.

"It is a strategic initiative that will help Franchise Companies conduct self-assessment of performance to identify the points of strength & weakness of service quality benchmarked against global standards. It is an unprecedented step in this field to qualify Franchise Companies to the global stage based on the vision of the RTA" he said.

Tawfeeq Metri, Director General of NATIONAL Taxi Co, described the Agreement by saying: "It is definitely a gesture of goodwill from the RTA towards Franchise Companies. It is a step forward in this field and a great incentive to Franchise Companies to upgrade their business and level of services rendered to the public" he said.

Raoof Ali, Director General of Al ARABIA Taxi Co., expressed his utmost delight with the signing of this Agreement with the RTA. He described it as "a considerable support from Public Transport Agency to Franchise Companies".

Hassan Yousuf, Director General of CITI Taxi Company, which is the sole company providing combined taxi services in the emirate of Dubai, stressed the significance of signing such Agreement.

"I consider it as a turning point in improving the quality of service provided by Franchise Companies in this vital field of public transport" he said.

Signing of the Agreement was attended by a number of departmental directors and section managers of Public Transport Agency & Dubai Taxi Agency, including Yousuf Al Madani - Acting Director of Transport System Dep't, Salah Al Marzouqi - Manager of Inter-City Transport Operations Section, Salim Abdul-Rahman Abdullah - Manager of Bus & Vehicle Performance Control Section, Saeed Al Baluchi - Manager of Events Transport Streamlining Section, and Maryam Al Muhairi - Manager of Booking & Distribution Section.