Meet UAE’s first woman examiner for motorcycle driving tests

“Riding a motorcycle is a challenge and that is the reason I pursued this career pat. I wanted to break traditional barriers,” the enterprising Emirati who works with Dubai Road Transport Authority told Gulf News ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.

“However, the UAE has always given equal opportunities to both men and women. Especially now, the vision and perspective of women have started evolving as the government encourages women to excel,” she added.

Mariam’s job can be demanding. “I assesses women during light motor vehicle tests and both men and women during motorcycle driving tests. The assessment in a motorcycle test is done on ground or from a car,” she said, explaining how she makes her observations by following the rider in a car at times.

Always passionate about motorcycles, Mariam not only learnt to ride them but did what it takes to become an examiner too. She said she received a lot of encouragement from her family who stood by her and pushed her to excel in her work.

Having worked with RTA for 11 years, she said the organisation’s leadership had provided her solid support by giving her the necessary training, field and operational experience.

She said despite the challenges she faced, the Department of Licensing, under the guidance of the senior leadership of RTA, ensured she was able to achieve her dream of becoming the first woman in the UAE to get a motorcycle test certificate.

She said she owed her success to the vision of the country’s Rulers, who are constantly inspiring hope and motivating people to excel, outperform themselves and look forward to a better tomorrow. She said they were a great source of motivation for her and all other UAE women to pursue new fields, while preserving the identity of the UAE.

She said she would advise other women also to pursue challenges and follow career paths that provide them with an opportunity for self-fulfillment.