Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said its public buses had lifted 38,616,365 riders during the first quarter of this year, compared with 37,654,468 riders lifted during the same period last year.

The figure indicates a growth rate of about 2.5 per cent in bus ridership, a Wam news agency report added.

Basel Saad Ibrahim, director of buses, RTA Public Transport Agency, said that the sustained increase in the ridership of public buses in Dubai is indicative of the growing culture of using public transport means amongst various community segments.

He added that it underscores RTA’s keenness to provide solid and spacious buses offering accurate service integrated with other mass transit modes such as the metro, tram and marine transport.

Ibrahim further noted that it is also attributable to the facilities associated with these transit modes such as stations and air-conditioned bus shelters across Dubai, including 100 smart air-conditioned shelters offering various smart services to the public.

Such facilities contribute to raising customers’ satisfaction with the superb services offered by the RTA, he added.