• Home

RTA reviews metro service with customers

DUBAI - The Customers Council of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has held its 17th gathering with the strategic partners and customers of the Rail Agency to discuss holistic matters related to the Dubai Metro service, ranging from the station and through the journey; as part of RTA endeavours to improve the public transport network in Dubai.

The gathering was held in the presence of RTA Board Member, CEO and Chairperson of Customers Council Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla, CEO of Rail Agency Adnan Al Hammadi, Director of Customers Service Dr. Aysha Al Busmait, Director of Rail Operation Ramadan Abdullah, and a number of Council members and customers.

Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla welcomed the attendants describing them as the base for the success of any future initiative or project. “Through this communicative platform, we can manage to upgrade all services relating to RTA in general and the Dubai Metro in particular; the newest addition to the RTA transport means, and RTA is very keen on focusing attention on the project such that it will remain as the favourite destination of the public of different ages and groups.”

“This gathering cements the relationships between all the concerned parties and boosts the ongoing drive of adopting best-in-class practices aligned with world-class standards. The Customers Council is viewed as a bridge linking all RTA officials and external customers and a platform for communicating all views and feedbacks with the aim of figuring out suitable solutions in an environment offering the freedom of expression oriented towards improving the services rendered,” said Al Mulla.

The gathering engaged in discussions between the concerned Agency staff and the strategic partners as well as the metro customers with the aim of identifying the key needs.

The metro customers shed light on the importance of having entertainment means on board the metro cars such as running radio transmission to check news, music and ads as well as educative campaigns offering more education to the public. A suggestion was made calling for utilizing the on board speakers and monitors to promote commercial campaigns, utilizing the monitors to educate the public through displaying the metro journey details, operation timings, Nol cards and procedures and regulations enforced against offenders.

There was also a call for reconsidering the entry and exit of passengers from and to the metro in order to avoid congestion and disrupting the movement in the area. Another suggestion was made for placing giant screens outside the metro stations educating the public on the key locations in the vicinity of the station such as mosques and hospitals among other destinations of concern to travellers and tourists.

One customer made a suggestion for deploying buses featuring the metro logo to be run from 01.00 am to 06.00 am shuttling through the same metro lines as alternative to the metro during the period of no metro service.

Another suggestion was made calling for revising the fare through offering a reduced night fare in order to make it a suitable alternative for the public, particularly after ceasing the operation of the metro and bus service. A suggestion was made calling for coordination with the Dubai Health Authority to deploy some first aid specialists such that they are constantly available at stations and on board the metro cars. This could be achieved through training and qualifying a group of staff who could be visibly distinctive and easily recognizable. A suggestion was made to give more concentration on educating the students of lower /elementary school grades on the significance and positivity of public transport with the aim of fostering an educated generation appreciative of the importance of public transport and capable of keeping pace with the social and living developments in future.

At the end of the gathering, Adnan Al Hamadi stressed the importance of suggestions and feedbacks made in the gathering; which, he says, reflect the extent of public response to the metro services and the genuine desire to have the metro service level hiked, considering it the ideal transit means for all members of the community judging by the results which reflect the current trend of rising community members using the metro; which in itself is a testament to the increased awareness of the importance of using various means of public transport. Al Hammadi pointed out that all statistics and information will be taken into consideration as they are generated from our strategic partners who have the priority in adopting their views.

Al Mulla stated that all suggestions made by all customers and strategic partners will be taken into consideration and communicated to the senior management for review, studying and implementing those ones which are appropriate and in line with RTA strategies and drive, particularly noting that most of these suggestions are constructive and may contribute to the betterment of the metro service, he concluded.