DUBAI: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed an exclusive operation contract with DP World whereby the Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) at the RTA will provide taxi and VIP limousine services to lift tourists from and to The Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal at Mina Rashid (Rashid Port). By offering this new service, the DTC will complete a portfolio of official and exclusive operation of the air and marine ports in Dubai Emirate. RTA has also inked a MoU with DP World to enhance the cooperation between the two parties to streamline the movement of trucks and step up the traffic safety on highways leading to Jebel Ali Port.
The MoU also provides for sharing best practices & systems of tracking the movement of trucks and monitoring attitudes of drivers in order to curb traffic accidents. It also calls for exchanging information about plans of both parties as regards the upgrading of external roads in the surrounds of Jebel Ali Port, and lending support in permit services. Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, signed the agreement and MoU on behalf of RTA, and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, CEO and Chairman of DP World Group cum Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, signed on behalf of DP World.
Attending the signing were Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla, RTA Board Member cum Chairperson of DTC Council, Dr. Yousef Al Ali, CEO of DTC, and senior officials from both parties. The taxi and limo service contract provides for DTC to offer taxi and limo services to tourists & others by lifting them from and to the Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal at Mina Rashid, provide integrated mobility services, besides developing added services and making them accessible to clients in the best possible manner.
The Contract also provides for sharing corporate knowledge & practices as well as the findings of studies and statistics of relevance to the business domain of both parties. It also called for promoting the brands of both parties through marketing initiatives and projects they have accomplished, besides cooperating in the field of training & development towards uplifting the caliber of services rendered to clients. The MoU provided for exchanging inputs of trucks tracking systems installed in external roads leading to all ports in Dubai Emirate, and coordinating the operation of these systems as well as the education of truck drivers. It also called for sharing information & plans regarding the improvement of external roads linking all ports in Dubai and updates of traffic laws and regulations besides linking the traffic control room of DP World with RTA traffic control room.
“The signing of the contract and MoU comes under the context of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for the sake of bringing happiness and delivering brilliant services to tourists and residents of Dubai Emirate. The step would also enhance customers experience, improve the traffic safety level, and ensure the smooth traffic flow on all roads of the Emirate. It also signals the enhanced cooperation and coordinated efforts of all government departments towards boosting partnerships and delivering best-in-class services to clients,” stated Al Tayer. “This agreement boosts RTA’s future policy and tone in driving the image of Dubai worldwide, which will also contribute to the fruition of the strategic plan of Dubai Government 2021 aimed at developing sound infra and service structures at world-class standards. The DTC, which has a fleet of more than 5000 taxicabs, runs a galaxy of taxi services comprising the ordinary taxi, VIP taxi (limo), airport taxi, ladies taxi, special needs taxi, and in-safe hands taxi. Dubai taxicabs have made in 2015 more than 47 million trips serving about 94 million riders.
“RTA accords special care to the training of drivers, improving the traffic safety level, and uplifting the caliber of services rendered to riders in a bid to make them feel happier. For this purpose, RTA has launched the Drivers Qualification Center at Al Ruwiya, the first exclusive smart center for training cabdrivers from DTC as well as franchise and limo companies in Dubai. The Center is overseen by the Drivers Affairs Department at Public Transport Agency,” explained Al Tayer. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, CEO and Chairman of DP World Group, said, “We are delighted to work with the RTA towards realizing the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the most efficient and productive city. We are also very keen to team up with RTA’s Dubai Taxi Corporation to ensure the provision of taxicabs for tourists arriving through the Cruise Terminal of Mina Rashid and offer them access to high-class transit services. Mina Rashid hosts the most exclusive cruise terminal in the region, and the provision of taxi and limo services will offer tourists a luxurious experience and at the same time support the profile of Mina Rashid as a pioneering destination for cruise and tour operators alike.”
