Integrated Transport Centre’s Achievements In 2019

The Integrated Transport Centre, ITC, of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi announced that 2.3 million transport-related transactions were completed in 2019, a 39 percent increase compared to 2018.

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 18th Feb, 2020) – The Integrated Transport Centre, ITC, of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi announced that 2.3 million transport-related transactions were completed in 2019, a 39 percent increase compared to 2018.

According to the ITC's 2019 achievements, the centre added a number of new services in 2019, such as the People of Determination parking permit, traffic management permit request (offered to contractors, developers and consultants) for road diversions and registering on the Abu Dhabi Toll Gate System that was activated in 2019.

The total number of individual accounts registered on the Abu Dhabi Toll Gate System was 615,010 and 27,915 company accounts. Later, ITC announced that senior Emiratis, limited-income Emiratis, People of Determination and Emirati retirees were exempted from paying the tollgate fees.

With the new services, ITC offers a total of 14 main services with 103 sub-services that fulfil the public demand for safe transport in Abu Dhabi, including public transport, parking management, Road Service Patrols, commercial permits related to transport, taxis and buses operators permits, in addition to other services provided to customers in this sector.

The number of trips by public buses increased in 2019 with 74.2 million trips and a 13 percent increase compared to 2018, as part of the efforts dedicated to link public buses in and out of Abu Dhabi City and meet the increased demand for public bus services.

ITC also added free Wi-Fi service in a number of buses inside Abu Dhabi City, main bus stations and one of the bus shelters and installed 30 air-conditioned bus shelters as part of a plan to install 260 air-conditioned bus shelters all over Abu Dhabi.

Hafilat cards procedures have been updated and the elderly, students, People of Determination and a weekly or monthly pass are allowed to use their cards on all services in Abu Dhabi.

ITC, in cooperation with the private sector, signed a number of agreements with many of its stakeholders to sell Hafilat Cards in all their branches.

The total number of school buses in the emirate is 7,723, 386 operators, and 7,723 drivers alongside with 4,900 supervisors, males and females. School buses serve 633 schools and nurseries from the public and private sector.

ITC organised six training programmes that aim to qualify traffic management coordinators in Abu Dhabi and plans to implement these programmes in Al Ain and Al Dhafra Region.

The Student Safety System conducted 7,165 field visits to public and private schools along with nurseries and operators, as well as 2,979 inspection campaigns to enhance students' safety.

ITC completed the Abu Dhabi International Airport Road Network Interchange Project at a cost of AED707 million, linking the new terminal to Abu Dhabi-Shahama highway (E10) and providing direct access to and from the terminal towards Abu Dhabi, as well as Dubai and Al Ain.

ITC also completed the construction of the Al Mirfa - Madinat Zayed Project in the Al Dhafra Region at a cost of AED636 million and the rehabilitation of the Saih Shuaib-Al Faya Road (E75) at a cost of AED50 million. Moreover, ITC completed the 140km-long Al Miqattarah - Hameem road (E65) at a cost of AED46 million and Al Aryam intersection on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed International Road with a cost of AED58.4 million. ITC also inaugurated Bani Yas – Al Heeliya Road at a cost of AED55 million.

Furthermore, ITC inaugurated the development project in Zayed Port Area (main tunnel) at a cost of AED1.342 billion, development project of E11/E12 interchanges between Al Falah and Al Reef at AED126 million, traffic development project at Saih Shuaib-Al Faya Road (E75) at AED100 million and the road linking Shah to Muzairaa at a cost of AED174 million.

As part of ITC’s endeavour to maintain public safety and limit the risks caused by illegal transport, ITC conducted inspection campaigns and issued 1,529 illegal transport violation tickets in Abu Dhabi.

ITC issued permits for six companies to practice renting e-scooters in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain that operate according to "the first and last mile" basis.

In 2019, ITC launched a new identity for its Road Service Patrol, in cooperation with Emirates Transport, the service operator, implemented on all main roads in Abu Dhabi.

The number of passengers who used taxis was 92.27 million and 51.26 million trips were conducted by 6,390 taxis from eight operating companies.

ITC, in coordination with the Traffic and Patrol Directorate, organised 20 awareness workshops in English, Arabic and urdu addressing traffic and driving behaviour for taxi drivers, which were attended by 1,585 drivers In the Lost and Found management system, 27,336 reports were registered in the system and 80 percent of the lost items were returned to their owners.

ITC improved the efficiency of the taxis such as improving the current booking system as Uber and Careem were permitted to offer their services in many areas in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, ITC offered Emiratis and children of Emirati mothers employment as taxi drivers where drivers may use their vehicles as private taxis.

The ferry services of Dalma Island have been transferred from Mugharag Port to Jebel Al Dhanna Port within a plan to develop the infrastructure of the maritime transport sector in the area. A new ferry service was implemented between Al Saadiyat Island and Ras Ghurab Island in order to facilitate travel between Abu Dhabi and Ras Ghurab Island.

The number of passengers who travelled using ferry services was 86,733 passengers, which is an increase of nine percent compared to 2018. This is in addition to the 22,737 vehicles that were transported during the same period.