UAE | Traffic and Transport
Dubai petrol attendants work 24 hours
Petrol stations were one of the hardest-hit victims of on Monday's shutdown, when more than 95 per cent of Dubai's 700,000 registered vehicles took a day of rest.
- By Emmanuelle Landais and Abbas Al Lawati, Staff Reporters
- Published: 15:13 January 14, 2008
- Image Credit: Karl Jeffs/Gulf News
- Shaikh Zayed Road was closed in the morning, leaving Dubai's busiest road empty.
Dubai: Petrol stations were one of the hardest-hit victims of on Monday's shutdown, when more than 95 per cent of Dubai's 700,000 registered vehicles took a day of rest.
Dubai has one of the highest per capita vehicle numbers in the world - one for every two people, although a majority of the emirate's 1.44 million inhabitants are labourers.
No-show
There are about 100 Enoc and Eppco service stations in Dubai, each employing at least ten people on an average. In total, about 1,000 people manned these outlets without a seeing a single customer until 3.30pm.
Officially, they were open but, until 5pm, some had not done any business .
"There have been no customers since morning. They have started coming only now," an attendant at a petrol station near Jumeirah said and added that the usual daily sales of the outlet were Dh50,000-Dh60,000.
Related Links
- Bush spends the day in Dubai
- President's speech 'can only be positive step forward'
- Bush stresses Iranian threat
- Khalifa and Bush discuss regional issues
- UAE welcomes visiting US president
- Audio: Bush's speech in Abu Dhabi
- Full text of speech
- Bush arrives in Abu Dhabi
- Bush: Iran is leading sponsor of terror
Khalid Hadi, group brand and marketing manager, said he could not provide an estimate of the drop in sales because the offices were closed.
At the same time, gasoline retailers in other emirates had brisk business.
Petrol attendants at a filling station in Al Barsha, Dubai, were forced to work for 24 hours straight due to road closures, Gulf News has learnt.
Due to minimal access to thoroughfares, some petrol stations had told their staff they would have to work longer than their normal eight-hour shifts, since buses bringing replacement staff would not be able to get from accommodation camps to the stations.
"We are supposed to be working eight hours but we have been told that we will be working 24 hours straight because my boss is not coming and the buses with my colleagues will not get through," an attendant in Al Barsha told Gulf News.
"There aren't that many cars though, because we are near the closed road and no one is coming here. I will have to work for a lot longer and I am tired but there is nothing else they can do," he said.
More from UAE Traffic and Transport
More from UAE
Latest news
- Dubai Police deny reports of Burj Khalifa fire
- New road eases traffic problems in Dubai
- Abu Dhabi hosts strong man contest
- Farmers to be taught techniques to improve yield
- Keep recycling bins open
- UAE's first home-grown unmanned aerial vehicle
- Telling stories with sand
- President of Wollongong varsity about his plans
- Challenging role in Libya
- Parachuting event promises rich fare
- UAE ministry backs efficacy of Tas'heel system
- UAE students on research trip to Antarctica
- Brothers held in Sharjah for possessing heroin
- Fund drive for displaced Syrians launched
- FNC has kept pace with development — Al Murr
Community Reports
-
Keep recycling bins open
People should be allowed to do their part as the world moves towards a greener future
-
Bridges needed
Al Ittihad Road has no pedestrian facilities as one nears Sharjah
-
Street lights needed
Authorities urged to act with haste before a major accident occurs in Al Nahda, Dubai
-
Motorists ignore stop sign on buses
Overtaking school vehicles can put students' lives at risk
