RTA launches 3rd Public Transport Day under the theme: 'Be Healthy'

His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, said, "Through the Public Transport Day initiative, which is fixed on the first day of November each year, the RTA is seeking to encourage different community segments to leave their private vehicles and use different means of public transport in the Emirate."

"The RTA selected the theme 'Be Healthy' for this year's edition in order to elucidate to passengers the benefits of using mass transit means; which include reducing the stress of driving, and the health benefits of walking since the user of public transport means needs to walk for about 5 to 10 minutes; which adds up to the health benefits accruing to public transport commuters," he continued.

"The Public Transport Day initiative aims to enhance the role of Dubai Emirate in mustering efforts of improving the environment and sustainable development, encouraging inhabitants to use mass transit systems through orienting them with the benefits of using public transport, and at the same time promoting the modern mass transit modes provided by the RTA including the metro, buses and marine transit means. It also aims to augment the ridership of public transport means, step up the integration of various public transport modes, enhance the leading role of the Dubai Emirate in general and the RTA in particular in improving public transport sector, offer different community segments exposure to the culture of using public transport along with the benefits accruing to individuals such as the physical & psychological comfort of travelling smoothly. Benefits also include reducing expenditure on fuel & vehicle maintenance, curbing traffic accident fatalities effectively, and minimizing the carbon emissions from vehicle exhausts," he added.

"Since inaugurated in 2010, the Public Transport Day initiative contributed to a growth in the numbers of public transport users. The ridership of Dubai Metro, public buses and the Water Bus on the Public Transport Day soared from 583 thousand passengers in 2010 to 697 thousand passengers in the following year. In the current edition of the event, the public transport ridership is anticipated to touch 739 passengers as the first of November falls on Thursday and coincides with the 'Eid in Dubai' event during which shopping malls remain open 24 hours," added Al Tayer.

Diverse Events
The Public Transport Day initiative comprises a host of programmes & events. Besides offering free rides on the Dubai Metro, public buses and the Water Taxi to Nol card holders, the RTA has coordinated with the Dubai Health Authority the conducting of medical checkups to metro users at the Dubai Healthcare City Metro Station and the Airport Terminal 3 Metro Station, in addition to a blood donation campaign at Al Ghubaiba Bus Station where the first 100 donors will be issued with complimentary Nol Silver cards.

A number of events will be held by mobile performers in Al Seef Road from 05:00 pm to 09:00 to encourage the public to walk, and a show will be held to display portraits of the metro, public buses, Water Bus, Nol cards, Safouh Tram, to educate the public about various public transport means in Dubai.

The RTA has allocated a host of prizes for public quizzes including iPads and Nol cards, and a contest titled 'Look for the Key' will be run offering 10 bikes to metro commuters who manage to locate the key in one of the metro stations. Another contest for The Best Image of Public Transport Means will be held in addition to scores of freebies given to public transport users.

Lecture
The Public Transport Day events include a lecture to be held at RTA Head Office about the Health Benefits of Using Public Transport where Dr. George Sun, Deputy Director, Research & Publications, Land Transport Authority of Singapore, will speak about the huge health benefits of using mass transit systems, riding bicycles and walking, and shed light on their role in preventing the onset of many diseases spreading in communities as a result of lack of exercise and sport.

Cadre
RTA Chairman of the Board & Executive Director further added: "The Strategic Plan of the RTA aims to raise the share of public transit means in the number of trips made from 10% in 2011 to 30% by 2030 through providing an integrated and multi-modal transit network in order to deflect the demand from using private vehicles to public transit means, and provide an effective roads network enabling commuting to all parts of Dubai.

The number of public transport users (Dubai Metro, public buses, marine transit means and taxis) in the first half of this year reached 207,480,000 passengers compared with 180,544,372 passengers in the first half of 2011.

Dubai Government has made massive investments in upgrading the infrastructure of public transport sector; which proved successful and effective, and contributed to bolstering the development drive seen by the Emirate under the prudent leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as reflected in the thriving business, and growing tourist activities as well as the provision of safe & smooth transit. These ingredients are bound to encourage mobility, revive the economy, and raise the competitive edge of Dubai in hosting international events such as conventions, sport events, horse races ... etc, besides conserving the environment, slashing the financial impacts of traffic jams, and diverting the demand from private vehicles to public transit means.