DUBAI: DUBAI: Roads & Transport Authority - Mohammed Al Munji: The Public Transport Agency, Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has obtained the internationally acclaimed Assets Management Certification of Conformity to the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 55 assessment awarded by the British SGS Group, thus becoming the first Middle Eastern entity ever to obtain this certification. The Public Transport Agency has been selected as the first RTA agency to use the international standards of assets management, thanks to the high quality and sophisticated technologies featuring RTA buses qualifying them to rank among the best worldwide; an exercise which obviously warrants excellent assets management modules conforming to the best international standards.

RTA Chairman of the Board and Executive Director Mattar Al Tayer received the PAS 55 Certificate from . Rashid Sharqawi, Managing Director of SGS (Middle East & North Africa) in the presence of the CEO of RTA Corporate Technical Support Services Sector Abdullah Al Madani, CEO of Public Transport Agency Eisa Abdul Rahman Al Dosari, and Director of Assets & Properties Management Udai Al Deesi, RTA said in a press release.

Al Tayer expressed his delight in seeing the RTA obtaining this international certification; which he considers as a result of the ongoing efforts made by the RTA since 2008 in implementing RTA's assets management system, which culminate in incorporating Assets Management in RTA's strategic goals of its 2009 - 2013 Plan.

"RTA has spent more than 80 per cent of its budget over the last few years in owning and upgrading assets & properties relating to roads, bridges, tunnels, metro, buses, taxis, marine transit modes and others. In view of the importance of these assets, a Department dedicated to Assets & Properties management was established with the aim of sustaining these assets and drawing up plans to preserve them in the forthcoming years, particularly under the prevailing testing economic conditions which prompt all parties to adopt creative thinking in a bid to increase the efficiency and ensure optimal utilization of all properties," said Al Tayer.

"RTA has carried out extensive studies and researches to benefit from the best global practices adopted in places like Australia, Far East, America and Britain in order to have exposure as to how they utilize and sustain their assets for extended years. The British system "PAS 55" published by the British Standards Institution (BSI) was therefore adopted in cooperation with The Institute of Assets Management (IAM); being one of the best globally applicable specifications in this regard. RTA has adopted the British system as a reference for its Assets & Properties Management Dep't, and formed a team of specialists representing all concerned RTA departments to compile RTA's own system aligned with the international specifications," added Al Tayer.

For his part Abdullah Al Madani, Executive Director of Corporate Technical Support Services Sector, said: "We embarked on the implementation of PAS 55 system in the RTA about 8 months ago and the system was audited by British auditors, from the international SGS Group, who examined all principles of the system. The auditors were extremely impressed with the maturity and immaculate conformity to the international system despite the short time span since the establishment of the Assets & Properties Management Dep't.

"The Assets & Properties Management Dep't has set out an integrated work plan to be carried out in phases during this year. Following the obtainment of the international conformity certification by the Public Transport Agency in the first quarter of the year, and work is up and running in obtaining certifications in respect of all other agencies in the second quarter of this year. All RTA assets will also be registered and updated together with the relevant database, and the operational agencies will be supported with the information necessary for enhancing the efficiency of assets performance. The Dep't will also be gearing towards the launch of initiatives aimed at appreciating the value of assets and raising the efficiency of assets data saving system," explained Al Madani.

The Director of Assets & Properties Management Udai Al Deesi said that the obtainment by the RTA of this international accreditation would not be our ultimate goal; rather it was the beginning and launching pad of an excellence drive in the field of assets management.

"The system adopted by the Assets & Properties Dep't comprises a set of specific performance indicators pertinent to all stages of assets lifecycles, typical to those applied to Public Transport Agency, Dubai Taxi Corporation, Rail Agency, and Marine Transport Dep't. These indicators are being monitored, studies are being analyzed on quarterly base and RTA leadership is being furnished with a crystal clear picture about the performance efficiency of assets, thus assisting in taking informed decisions.

"Among the requisites of the international PAS 55 system accreditation, the organization must have a corporate policy & strategy that takes into consideration all aspects related to assets & properties management, a dedicated assets management department to administer corporate governance and processes system, a standardized system for the management and classification of assets data, and integrated and inter-linked planning of all assets lifecycles stages, besides implementing a safety & risk management system, and setting indicators to gauge & monitor the performance improvement," remarked Al Deesi.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2011.