Dubai: The most frequent users of public transport in Dubai were among the top winners of the seventh Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport (DAST) on Wednesday.
Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Establishment, honoured the winners across six main categories and four sub-categories at a ceremony at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the award is aimed at raising public awareness and encouraging community organisations to play an active role in boosting sustainable transport.
Mohammad Ali Ahmadzadeh, Mohammad Muneer Abu Baker, Subhash Singh Parmar, Mohammad Ali Al Raisi and Dasnadi Mohammad Ilyas were the most frequent public transport users, who walked away with top honours.
“I never ever thought that I would win an award for using the Metro. I use public transport because it is the best way to move around in Dubai and I thank the government of Dubai for having in place such a nice infrastructure,” said Ilyas, who has been working as a salesman in Dubai for 17 years.
Another frequent user of public transport who won the award is Mohammad Muneer Abu Baker.
“I have been working in the UAE for 16 years and this is my happiest day. To receive an award from the hands of Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad is an honour. I am really excited and I don’t have words to express my feelings,” said Abu Baker, who works as an outdoor salesman and uses the Metro and buses to travel around the city for work.
Among the other winners are two teams of students from UAE University in Al Ain, who bagged the top two prizes in the Best Student Project category for projects highlighting the efficiency of signalised traffic junctions over roundabouts as well as a proposal for a modular temporary infrastructure under the Dubai Metro viaduct.
A team led by Dr Yasser Al Sheshtawy has come up with an interesting proposal of creative use of the unused spaces under Metro bridges, which is now being considered by the Roads and Transport Authority.
Meanwhile, DP World topped the Mobility Management category for the DP World Traffic Management Centre project, which plays a key role in the smooth flow of traffic in Jebel Ali area.
In the Transport Safety category, AW Rostamani Kar Transport finished first for its technology-driven fleet management system that uses resources effectively.
TransAD won in Environmental Protection for it initiative of curbing carbon emissions resulting from the operation of taxis in Abu Dhabi and the deployment of environment-friendly taxis.
In the Special Needs Mobility category, Emirates Transport won first position for its Arrive Safely initiative aimed at enhancing the confidence of parents in public transport for the disabled.
Emirates Standardisation and Metrology Authority (Esma) bagged the top prize in School Transport for countrywide implementation of new school bus specifications that helped improve safety.
“It is nice to get recognition for the work we did in regulating school transport across the country. We have put in place some of the best practices in the world in terms of bus specifications and we are working towards further improving school transport,” said Abdullah Al Muaini, Director-General of Esma.
In the Smart Apps category, which was introduced this year, Emirates Transport bagged first position for the Safety Card app which seeks to maintain the security and safety of students through the provision of an electronic system that enables parents to identify pick up and drop off points for their children as well as ensuring their attendance.
The event was kick-started with a keynote address by Ray LaHood, former Secretary of the US Department of Transportation, who hailed Dubai’s effort in promoting sustainable transport and putting in place world-class infrastructure.
DAST has seen significant growth in participation and its impact on the society since its inception in 2008, with 120 nominations received this year.
