The road and rail networks in Dubai are ideal examples of the world-class service that the people enjoy here, and the public transport bus service offered by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is very popular with commuters.
I have recently, started commuting by public transport buses. It is commendable that these buses cover the entire city and the rates are fairly low as well.
I find the RTA buses very clean, comfortable, user-friendly and convenient.
However, some people seem to misuse the facilities provided to them. I have seen passengers in RTA buses resting their feet on the seats. I find it difficult to digest that mature and educated adults indulge in such actions. I have also witnessed many children standing atop the seats in the buses while their mothers encourage them to look outside and have a good time.
A few days ago, I took these pictures of the seat in front of me. To my astonishment, the seat was laced with a combination of various liquids that had dried up over the course of the days. In addition to this, the seats appeared to be extremely dirty and full of dust.
Also, by having a closer look at the seat, I realised that it had chewing gum stuck on it. It was my bad luck that when I entered the bus, it was the only available seat and I had no option but to sit there.
I take this opportunity to request that users of public transport buses kindly act in a responsible manner.
We should bear this clearly in mind that these buses are for our own good, and there is no reason for us to behave in an inappropriate manner while on board.
Another important appeal is for anyone with their children using public buses should kindly stop allowing them to look out of the window while standing on the seats, for both cleanliness and safety reasons.
Lastly, I request the concerned officials to take appropriate measures to ensure the cleanliness inside the public transport buses.
Furthermore, to better curb this issue of misuse of public facilities, I urge the RTA officials to impose heavy penalties and fines on those caught violating the regulations.
I hope that these aspects will be taken into serious consideration and suitable measures will be adopted to ensure better service for the passengers of the RTA buses.
— This reader is a journalism student based in Dubai
