RTA buys 518 feeder buses to serve metro

Transport chiefs in Dubai on Monday announced a deal to buy 518 buses to serve passengers travelling on the Dubai Metro.

The AED1.9bn deal will also include an eight-year maintenance contract for the vehicles which will ferry metro customers to and from stations in the emirate. A senior RTA official said that the buses would cover all the stations.

The red line of the $4.2bn project is scheduled to start operating on September 9.

The buses are being provided by VDL, based in the Netherlands, and Swaidan Al Naboodah will manage the service for the company.

Mohammed Abubaker Al Hashimi, director for planning and business development department, said charges for the buses would be announced at a later date, adding that the cost would depend on how zones you travel through.

"In August we will start operating our services and by September 9 we will have all our feeder services up and running. We are running four routes already to Ibn Battuta Mall," he told Arabian Business.

Mattar Al Tayer, RTA chairman of the Board and executive director, added: "The new buses will be deployed on feeder lines of Dubai Metro Stations. Each bus measures 12 metres in length and has a capacity of 68 passengers. These buses are equipped with hi-tech air-conditioning system and top security and safety standards."

Last week, the RTA revealed that the cost of travelling on the new Dubai Metro will range between AED1.80 and AED6.50.

The cost in Dubai compares well to single ticket costs around 1.60 euros (AED8) for the Paris Metro and GBP4 (AED24) for an adult single zone ticket on the London Underground.

The Metro system in Dubai will be split into five zones and park and ride facilities will be available to the stations free of charge, Roads and Transport Authority officials said at a press conference.

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READERS' COMMENTS

RTA buys 518 feeder buses to serve metro
Posted by Sultan, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman on Monday 29 June 2009 at 17:18 UAE time


The Metro is one of the Great plan the UAE will be providing for its daily commuters, believe me the number of passengers is expected to rise since it is the first of its kind in the Gulf when successfully start and peaple gain confidence on safety and reliability as a whole.

Stop moaning - the metro is a positive thing....
Posted by james, Dubai on Monday 29 June 2009 at 15:42 UAE time


The entire system will take time to settle; and there will definately be teething problems, particularly with passengers who are, for example, looking for a feeder bus to get them to a metro station in the middle of the afternoon from half way down Al Wasl Road. But we do need to acknowledge the incredible effort and investment that has gone it this. Come the start of 2010, the system will cater for a lot of happy commuters. Imagine complaining to London Underground that the Tube doesn't stop outside your home, and you want the mob number of the Double Decker bus driver ..?!

To "Original Joe" : RE your first comment titled "???" & posted as "Joe"
Posted by A Metro Fan, Dubai on Monday 29 June 2009 at 15:29 UAE time


"How will these buses work? Will I have the driver's mobile number and give him a ring when I need him to pick me up at my house? Or will there be designated areas where buses will drive to."

I assume you're joking, right? :-)

Yes, I presume logic dictates there will be designated areas called Bus Stops similar to the ones that already exist in Dubai ;-) No, I doubt you'll have the driver's mobile number, Buses are not taxis, they don't do door to door pick ups and drop offs, that's why they're cheaper.

What I do hope will happen though is a more extensive spread of Bus Stops. Residential and Business areas should have more stops and these should be accessible easily (without killing yourself or fainting on the road as you walk there in the summer)

I lived all my life in France and I'm definitely very excited about the metro. I hope to be able to use it often. I think it would be a good solution to many issues and at a personal level, I love the fact that I could make use of the commute time for personal stuff. I'm sure many will also find it useful to get to/from the airport, malls, etc. (if it can save me from driving for hours in MOE’s parking to find a spot, then I’m happy!)

It's still early to judge the success of the metro and we need to give it some time. I think we're always a bit harsh with Dubai. From what I've seen, they do a lot of planning but sometimes things don't go according to plan. That applies to all countries, not only the UAE.

But on the long run, the metro is definitely a great initiative and even if there may be some bumps on the road ;-) ultimately it is bound to succeed.

RTA buys 518 feeder buses to serve metro
Posted by Jonathan, Dubai, UAE on Monday 29 June 2009 at 15:07 UAE time


Thats 518 more buses on the road. I would have preferred solar cooled enclosed walkways and then we really hjave a metropolitan city imagine if everyone was out walking everywhere indoor plants al fresco dining cool !

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