Free Dubai rides on Nov 1 Public Transport Day

The RTA in Dubai is urging all community members to use public transport means on the 1st of November 2012 to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the Public Transport Day. On this day, Nol card holders are enabled to use the public buses, metro and water bus free of charge starting from 01:00 am up to 00:00 am (midnight) i.e. 24 hours. 

“During the past two years, the Public Transport Day initiative was well received by commuters heading towards different public bus, metro and water bus stations. The forthcoming edition of the Public Transport Day is set to witness huge public turnout, particularly as the public transport network now covers most key districts of the Emirate including government departments, residential & business districts, and sports & recreational installations among other key destinations travelled to by the majority of the public. 

Thus the event is set to have a considerable contribution towards boosting the use of mass transit systems besides enhancing the standing of Dubai Emirate at all fronts, particularly in supporting initiatives pertinent to the improvement of the environment and sustainable development,” said Essa Abdul Rahman Al Dossari, Chairperson of the Organizing Committee of Public Transport Day events. 

“For the third time running, the RTA will celebrate the Public Transport Day on the first day of November; which is one of the key channels launched by the RTA to attract more passengers in Dubai Emirate to use the public transport, including Dubai Bus featuring a wide-ranging network of the best-in-class buses worldwide. What makes the use of public transport buses in Dubai a memorable experience is the air-conditioned bus shelters; the first initiative of its kind across the world launched by the RTA to provide comfortable transit for public bus commuters during the high temperature during summer. 

“The public are increasingly switching to using public buses every year; which is an indicator of the spreading culture of using public transport among various community segments. The number of commuters from the first of January till the end of last August of this year topped 53 million users, and the number of travelers who used the Feeder Bus service during the same period clocked 11 million persons, while the passengers of Water Bus hit 228 thousand persons during the same period,” he continued. 

Al Dossari urged the public to use the Dubai Metro as it is one of the key transportation means in Dubai Emirate and a destination for citizens, residents, tourists and visitors, noting that the Metro is attracting huge numbers of the public with the number of users from the first of January to the end of September has almost hit around

(79) passengers. The public who don’t have Nol cards may buy itto avail the services of the metro, buses and the water bus to ensure the smooth mobility on these modes free of charge during the first of November. 

“The RTA has set a number of key objectives to be realized on this day including boosting the role of Dubai Emirate in supporting initiatives that contribute to improving the environment and sustainable development, encourage the public to use mass transit systems in Dubai Emirate, promote the advanced mass transit systems of the RTA, increase the ridership of public transport means and augment revenues. 

Objectives also include uplifting the profile of Dubai in general and RTA in particular, and attracting additional tourist traffic to the Emirate, especially as it is coupled with an intense media coverage and comprehensive marketing of this initiative. Marking the third edition of the event, the RTA will start marketing the event at the federal and regional levels in a bid to make it a common event between GCC countries,” continued Al Dosari.

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