A total of 16 countries hostel 66 pavilions showcasing cutting-edge technologies at the Mena Transport Congress & Exhibition 2014 that opened in Dubai yesterday (April 27).

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and vice-chairman of the Executive Council, opened Mena Transport Congress & Exhibition 2014 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

A number of government department directors, as well as 400 participants hailing from 25 countries joined the inauguration of the event, which will run until April 30.

“Hosting this regional event as well as the 59th UITP Congress & Exhibition in 2011, by Dubai made the Emirate a center of public transport in the Mena region and a model to be emulated in the integrated transport systems,” said Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

 “The Middle East is witnessing a speedy growth in all fields and to keep pace with this growth, the region is seeking to undertake promising public transport projects costing about $100 billion.

“This underscores the importance of this congress which is considered a perfect opportunity for the congregation of officials and peoples concerned with the transport sector, as well as service providers, manufacturers, and operators in the sector where they can exchange views & expertise in addition to issues related to future challenges of transport, sustainability, conserving the environment and generalizing the benefits from modern practices and technologies in the field of transport,” he continued.

“The mass transportation systems in Dubai have undergone a quality shift over the past five years represented in the construction and operation of the Dubai Metro, equipping a modern public transport fleet with latest international specifications, and uplifting the marine transport systems & taxis; which account for a major portion of peoples mobility in the Emirate as they are being used by about 1.2 million persons per day,” he noted.

The Mena UITP was established in 2004 with a view to raising the awareness and inculcating the culture of public transport in the region as it is considered an accessible global crossroad, besides that the region boasts of rich traditions of hospitality and world-class service levels that help attract visitors.

During the opening ceremony, a movie was presented documenting the evolution of the RTA in uplifting the public transport sector; which was restricted to abras and a limited number of buses.

Today it boasts an integrated public transport means comprising the Dubai Metro, the longest driverless metro in the world, more than 1,300 modern buses at world-class standards, and a range of diverse marine transport means such as the water bus, water taxi, Dubai Ferry and abras. – TradeArabia News Service