RTA ponders new procedures for qualifying driving testers and instructors

The new procedures will come to light in November 2008 and will remain enforced for a period of 34 weeks during which trainees will be deployed in groups such that driving tests of candidates will not be impacted.

It was reported by Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA Licensing Agency, that these courses aim to raise the standards of training and testing through implementing the findings of upgrading and implementing of Comprehensive Manuals of Qualifying and Licensing drivers launched by the RTA last year aiming to uplift the skills of instructors and testers, and promote the partnership with model driving institutes.

Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan said:

"RTA is seeking to raise the standard of instructors and perpetuate the principle of safe driving through providing high class testers and inspectors and adopting global practices with a view to realizing the highest levels of traffic safety and contributing to easing traffic congestion in the emirate of Dubai."

He added,"Traffic safety is absolutely important and RTA is making headway efforts to provide the best setting for training and testing in accordance with the highest applicable international standards. It is also concerned with boosting the efficiency of training and testing profession through introducing basic standards and requirements for applicants wishing to work as driving instructors or testers in the emirate; which is part of efforts to realize the vision of the RTA in providing safe and smooth transport for all."

"RTA is also making relentless efforts to reassess the applicable systems, develop driving training modules, and provide basic information about driving / traffic methods, safe driving methods and information on how to obtain driving licenses for all types of vehicles, including motorbikes, light vehicles, heavy vehicles, plants and machinery," added Bahrouzian.

RTA has recently embarked on practical steps to uplift the class of applicants for driving licenses to qualify them in professional and safe driving methods such that the driving license issued from Dubai in particular and the UAE in general respected in all countries and the holder to be eligible for driving at any time, place and conditions.

For this reason, RTA provided solutions to qualify trainees to excellent driving standards, while endeavouring to process the largest possible number of qualified applicants such that the waiting period shall be cut to the lowest level and accordingly save the time for applicants and issue driving licenses to the qualified ones.

RTA is assigning special attention to developing and implementing the Comprehensive Manuals for Licensing Drivers Project, which is considered as a tool to leverage traffic safety levels, contribute to easing traffic congestion, and improving the quality of vehicle driving through adopting the latest and best global practices, such as the undergoing restricting of systems. The Project also aims to develop drivers training mechanism and testing procedures, raising the awareness and traffic culture among holders of traffic licenses in future, and improving procedures, systems and methods of licensing drivers such that they include engineering, educational, environmental and health aspects.

The Project comprises several key phases the first of which includes studying the existing practices and systems of licensing drivers in the emirate of Dubai, and the second phase includes a review of the global practices applicable in licensing drivers so as to select the most appropriate practices for implementation in Dubai.

Phase III focuses on preparing comprehensive manuals of training, testing and licensing drivers in each type of vehicles, as well as drawing up a sketch for Drivers Testing Center; which will be managed by the RTA. It also includes coordination between RTA technical team and the Consultant Company to prepare a number of training manuals containing driving and traffic rules, road safety, and information on safe and ideal driving for all types of vehicles needed by trainees, instructors and testers.

These manuals have to be published in three main languages, namely Arabic, English and Urdu to be responsive to the linguistic diversity which is a distinctive feature of Dubai community. It is hoped that information contained in these booklets will assist trainees in training in addition to bolstering the process of theoretical and practical testing.

Phase IV of the Project is concerned with preparing the legal framework need for implementation of the suggested legislations and procedures.

Phase V will witness implementation of the proposed model in a pilot project, after which the existing practices and procedures will be transformed in line with the best applicable practices.

Bahrouzian concluded his statement by saying that RTA is seeking through Licensing Agency to lay solid standards for applicants wishing to work as instructors or testers, as part of its efforts to improve the services of training and licensing drivers; while paying full attention to improve traffic safety, under the drive to realize RTA vision of providing safe and smooth transport for all.