Their incomes will rise from AED 70,000 to AED 141,000
Al Dossari: linking Abra stations with Buses will increase the demand to use Abra
Dubai (UAE): The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced that the Executive Council in Dubai's decision to adjust the fees of grants or the renewal of a license granted to Abra, came after exploring the views of Abra owners, who number 149 low-income UAE nationals and 300 of Abra operators, where of convergence with Abra owners and operators, and examined all aspects, and what had been done was benefiting them while their income will be raised as a result of the adjournment of fees for the abra use from AED 50 fils to one dirhams, and the invest the Abra shelters in the commercial advertisement to increase their incomes from AED 70,881 to more than AED 141,000.
Engineer Essa Abdul Rahman Al Dosari, CEO of the Marine Agency said that the RTA set up a strategic plan to develop the marine transport system in the emirate with the cost exceeds one billion dirhams, includes the development of the Marine transport system for passengers inside Dubai Creek to be used as an additional quick and integrated transport mean with other transportation systems in the emirate.
This plan will be implemented in stages according to a timetable aims to ensure quick, safe and integrated marine transport system with other transportation systems in accordance with the best global practices.
Pointing out that the RTA allocated a staff group to supervise the process of Abra registration and license representative by in-land Water Transport Department and also train the staff to service the users and operators of the Abra focused on three main topics which are the security and safety reasons, the use of facilities and customer service.
The RTA also introduced technical systems and programs to simplify the procedures for operators and owners, including the issuing of licenses, follow-up to operation obstacles, emergency maintenance and licensing periodic maintenance in addition to prepare studies to improve and develop the service and measuring the customer satisfaction.
He said that the Authority in developing the marine transport services through using other patterns of transport means such as the water bus, water taxi and boats for group transport and ensure the integration with other transport services such as the metro, buses and taxis.
Explaining that the RTA started the implementation of the first step to achieve the integration and interdependence between the various means and transport patterns in the emirate through linking between the bus transport line No. 19 to Al Seef Abra Station, where change the bus line No. 19 to pass through Al Seef Abra Station to ensure easy and comfortable transport for the abra users. Pointing out that the distance between the Public Buses and Al Seef Abra station will not take more than a minute by walking and person can transfer through the line No. 3 to Baniyas Station opposite Dubai Municipality in three minutes only.
Al Dossari added that the RTA provides six centers for customer service along the two shores of Dubai Creek, in addition to the main center in the RTA building, which received complaints and suggestions and losses, and answer all public inquiries on the Abra service.
He stressed that the Authority ensured the new alternatives to increase the revenues for the Abra owners and operators, such as investing the Abra shelters in the commercial which led to the increment in the income resulting the increase of the advertisement price.
The Authority provided the insurance service for Abra, where the owners and operators are facing the difficulty to get an insurance company who can accept the insurance of the Abras so the RTA signed an agreement with Insurance Company for the insurance of 149 Abras.
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© Press Release 2007
