Dubai: The number of public transport users, including Dubai Taxi, has increased by 14.5 million last year, revealed the latest statistics released by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) yesterday.
More than 346.5 million passengers used public transport in 2011 compared to 332 million in 2010, the figures said.
The number of passengers included those who used Dubai Metro, public transport buses, marine transport and taxis (Dubai Taxi only).
The average number of daily users of public transport reached 963,000 last year whereas the figure was in the range of 922,000 in 2010.
"The increasing number of public transport users in Dubai shows successful implementation of RTA's strategic plan to enhance the public transport use to 30 per cent by 2030," said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA. He said the huge investments injected by the Dubai Government for the development of the infrastructure of transport sector have proved both successful and effective.
‘Healthy growth'
"The healthy growth in public transport users reflects the undergoing evolution in the culture of using public transport means by the public spanning all spectrums of the community," he noted.
The RTA's efforts, Al Tayer said, come in implementation of RTA's strategic objective of minimising the use of private vehicles and maximising the use of public transit means (including taxis) from 13 per cent in 2006 to 30 per cent in 2030. In 2010 this rate reached 15 per cent and in the middle of last year it jumped to 19 per cent.
The Dubai Metro, comprising the Red and Green Lines, has carried more than 69 million passengers in 2011. The number of commuters who used the Red Line reached 60 million while number of passengers who used the Green Line, which was launched on September 9 last year reached 8.982 million. The daily average of passengers using the Metro has reached 191,000.
Trips
More than 103.4 million passengers used public buses in 2011, with a daily average of 298,000 passengers. Around 14.2 million passengers used the marine transport, including the traditional Abra, water taxi and water buses.
"Taxis [Dubai Taxi company only] made 62.36 million trips, carrying about 155.9 million passengers in 2011. Dubai taxis [overall] made about 173,223 trips and lifted about 433,000 passengers per day last year," added Al Tayer.
