Dubai (UAE): Public Transport Agency at Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) revealed that its Drivers Training & Qualification Center succeeded during the first quarter of this year in organizing a number of training courses for public bus drivers recruited from within the UAE and abroad.
Essa Abdul-Rahman Al Dossari, CEO of RTA Public Transport Agency, stated that the Agency is always keen to subject drivers to intensive training courses oriented towards upgrading customer service levels to gain satisfaction of commuting residents, visitors and tourists.
"Drivers Training & Qualification Center contracted with 73 drivers from abroad and subjected them to pre-service training during the period from 3 January up to 27 March of this year. Training sessions included various aspects such as lessons to qualify drivers for obtaining driving licenses, acquaintance with roads, dealing with passengers, road laws, and defensive driving; where drivers are educated on how to rescue themselves and others in emergency cases" said Al Dossari.
"Drivers Training & Qualification Center also provides pre-service training to 45 locally based drivers during the same period above. Training covered how to handle general tasks of drivers as well as other driver-related affairs associated with inter-city transport. 31 drivers are currently undergoing training, 12 of whom have been brought from abroad and 19 from the UAE. So far 100 drivers have completed training that started last January, cleared the prescribed tests and will be deployed shortly.
"As to the special training of in-service training, 515 inter-city bus drivers and 141 public bus drivers have undergone training on management of customer affairs in accordance with the standards of the Canadian Urban Transit Association for dealing with customers (passengers) based on the annual Drivers Training Plan.
"Drivers Training & Qualification Center also conducts training courses focused on corrective driving for drivers involved in accidents caused by individual errors. The session witnessed participation of 150 drivers in a course held from 1 January to 31 March 2008. This trend is naturally driven by the keen attention of the Agency to public & driver safety; and is viewed as a sincere reflection of the vision of the RTA to provide safe and smooth transport for all.
"During the period from 26 January up to 31 March Drivers Training & Qualification Center provided training for 124 seasoned drivers on driving articulated buses procured by the RTA from the best world brands and put in service last year.
"The Center is also conducting several screening tests including drivers literacy, driving skills, mechanical knowledge, and personal interviews. 146 drivers have so far been subjected to these tests during the period from 2 January up to 31 March of this year, where 42 have passed and now appointed as fully fledged bus drivers.
"Public Transport Agency is always keen to adopt the best practices and standards set for training & qualifying bus drivers worldwide. Drivers act as RTA ambassadors in serving public bus commuters and promoting the image of the RTA as a leading service entity among community members. In this regard the Agency is adopting Driver Education Center of Australia and the Canadian Urban Transit Association standards, customized to meet mass transit requirements in the emirate of Dubai. The Agency is also engaged in contracts with companies and institutes specialized in providing extensive training to drivers to widen their knowledge scope and upgrade their skills so as to ensure that better level of service is provided by the RTA to the public" said Al Dossari in a concluding remark.
It is worth-mentioning that Drivers Training & Qualification Center at RTA Public Transport Agency, in cooperation with a leading specialized company, held last year a wide-ranging awareness campaign under the theme "Leadership for Results". The campaign witnessed participation of 2100 drivers who attended important lectures & studies covering safety, traffic awareness, and road safety rules in Dubai and across the world. They also covered key factors leading to road fatalities & injuries, grave consequences of reckless driving, road disciplines & practices, safe distances, role of experienced bus drivers, and benefits of minimizing traffic accidents.
-Ends-
© Press Release 2008
