Source: www.ameinfo.com
In the context of the continuous endeavours of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to realize its strategic objectives in delivering best-in-class services to customers, the Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) has launched a new service billed “In-Safe-Hands Taxi Service” in response to requests and needs of the public perceived in a number of studies conducted to identify the ongoing customer needs.
An announcement to this effect was made during a press conference held on Monday 17 October 2011 at the premises of the DTC in Muhaisnah.
The press conference was attended by Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim, CEO of RTA Strategy and Corporate Governance and Head of the Dubai Taxi Supervisory Committee; Yousef Al Ali, Acting CEO of Dubai Taxi Corporation; Abdul Aziz Malik, Advisor of Dubai Taxi Corporation; and a number of DTC officials.
“This new service targets children, ladies, students of schools & universities, families, special need persons, and all segments of the community. The service is personalized and characterized by swift and quality delivery through selecting a number of excellent cabbies to run this service. About 60 taxicabs will be designated from all types of taxis to provide this service in the initial phase,” said Abdul Mohsen.
“A reasonable fare has been set for this service where the meter opening charge is set at 25 dirham with an increment of 1.71 dirham per each additional kilometer, and 50 fils per each minute of waiting, as is the case with other taxicabs. 20 dirham will be added to the fare in case of driving to Sharjah. Specific procedures have been set for ordering the service which are available with the DTC and can be ordered through contacting the Booking & Despatch Center at RTA Public Transport Agency or DTC’s main reception desk,” said the Acting CEO of DTC Yousef Al Ali.
“The customer can also select the type of driver, provided in case a female driver is selected, passengers must be aged below 12 or families and ladies, but there will be no conditions in case a male driver is selected (in case the children are aged below 10, there must be an adult male or female companion to escort them during the journey),” added Al Ali.
Abdul Mohsen praised the proper pre-planning and organization of this service well before the launch; an exercise involving several bodies within the RTA. The effectiveness and efficiency of the service has been measured through experimenting it with the concerned entities and the program ran smoothly without any obstacles impeding the delivery process.
“The Safe Hands Taxi Service complements other excellent services run by the DTC to upgrade the level of services rendered to customers in terms of the availability of systems for studying and analyzing complaints and suggestions, focusing on the quality of services, providing sophisticated booking & dispatch systems and introducing new services such as ladies taxi service, special needs service, Airport Taxi, and Hatta Taxi.”
“DTC is also giving much focus to qualifying and training of drivers to deliver excellent services to customers through holding daily theoretical and practical courses run through in the educational classes of DTC Drivers Training & Qualifying Center. Coordination is in hand with various public and private entities to hold various types of courses and educative lectures throughout the year including Dubai Police General HQ, RTA Public Transport Agency, RTA Traffic & Roads Agency, Department of Tourism and Commercial Marketing in Dubai, and Dubai Airports. More than 7900 cabdrivers will be deployed to run the taxi service 24 hours on shift basis,” said Al Ali in a final remark.
