RTA signs three agreements to drive sustainable mobility in public buses

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), witnessed the signing of three collaboration agreements with specialised global bus manufacturers to improve public transportation sustainability. The agreements were inked on the sidelines of the 64th UITP Global Public Transport Summit held in Barcelona, Spain from 4th-7th June 2023.

The agreements were signed by Ahmed Bahrozyan, CEO of Public Transport Agency, RTA; Till Oberwörder, Head of the Division Daimler Buses and Chairman of the Management Board EvoBus GmbH; Dan Pettersson, Senior Vice President Business Unit Chassis, Volvo Bus Corporation; and Richard van den Dungen, Commercial Director, VDL Bus and Coach B.V.

The first of these agreements establishes a ground-breaking collaboration with German firm Daimler Buses and calls for the testing of a first-of-its-kind bus driven by electricity and hydrogen fuel to assess its viability in Dubai’s specific climatic conditions. The second agreement was inked with the renowned Swedish automaker Volvo. It marks the start of Phase II of a ground-breaking technology to test Volvo’s electric buses under Dubai’s operational conditions. The third agreement involves the Dutch company, VDL and aims to exchange experiences and knowledge specifically relating to electric buses.

RTA inked these collaboration agreements as part of ongoing search for innovative transport solutions through enhanced collaboration with the private sector. The ultimate goal is to identify potential areas of cooperation, foster partnerships, and expedite the transformation of mass transportation management and operations using state-of-the-art and eco-friendly technologies. Achieving these goals helps to realise the RTA’s strategic goals of providing smooth, safe, and sustainable transportation services in Dubai.

Bahrozyan said, “RTA is proud to have signed three strategic collaboration agreements with a host of renowned international companies specialising in sustainable transport, particularly public buses production. The decision reaffirms our steadfast commitment to transitioning all modes of mass transportation into eco-friendly and carbon-free modes by 2050.”

Source: Amjad Saleh / Muhammad Aamir, Emirates News Agency (WAM)