RTA highlights its 'disabled only' services in Dubai

Parking for the disabled are provided at convenient slots closest to buildings and ramps, provided they have handicap stickers. - Photo by Dhes Handumon

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, RTA, has reviewed its services for the disabled during a visit paid by its affiliated Customers Council to the Dubai Club for the Disabled, as part of the strategy pursued by the council to identify the service needs of various community segments, especially the disabled. 
Attending the gathering from the RTA were Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla, Member of the Board of Executive Directors and Chairperson of the Customers' Council, Abdullah Yousef Al Ali, CEO of Public Transport Agency, and Dr. Yousef Al Ali, CEO of Dubai Taxi Corporation, in addition to directors and managers at several agencies and sectors of the RTA. Attendees from the club were Ahmed Hasan Nasir, Board Member, Majid Al Osaimi, Executive Director and several disabled persons and members of the club. 
Al Mulla, who chaired the 63rd session of the council, expressed his delight with the visit of RTA's Customers Council to the Dubai Club for the Disabled under the theme: 'Unlimited Facilities for the Disabled', said, "Such communication would ease and boost the "My Community - A Place for All" launched by the Dubai Government in 2013 with the aim of transforming Dubai entirely into a friendly city for the disabled by 2020. RTA has provided quality services befitting the place of the disabled in our hearts, considering them an integral part of the community and a core strategy of RTA's businesses." 
At the start of the meeting, a video presentation was made highlighting the activities and organisational chart of the club. Another visual presentation was made displaying the services provided by RTA for the disabled in terms of design of buildings, facilities and services to meet their needs at excellent standards. This includes the deployment of transit means tailor-made for the use of the disabled in 47 metro stations, 11 trams, 1,517 buses, 12 marine transit means, 11 taxicabs, and 10 vehicles in support of the Awnak service for the disabled and chronically sick individuals. 
The presentation screened communication means configured for the use of the disabled enabling them to avail RTA's services such as booking taxis, and availing online services. It also reviewed RTA's efforts in training 84 front-end employees on how to deal with the disabled, 12 employees specialised in sign language, exemption from registration and renewal fees of one vehicle, 50% discount on driver licensing services, issuing free parking permits for 1,826 parking slots, exemption from parking fees, exemption from Salik toll for one vehicle, and public transport as well. 
A number of suggestions were made followed by RTA voicing its intention to consider increasing the number of taxis designated for the use of the disabled, smart apps for all RTA's services, and modifying the design of taxicabs such that the disabled can embark and disembark from the side rather than the back of the vehicle. Suggestions to be considered also included that all disabled parking at public and private entities as well as hotels, cooperative societies, malls, markets, and private areas to be subjected to the control, monitoring and planning of RTA and the Dubai Police.