Bus service exclusively for women

Bus service exclusively for women
By Joy Sengupta Staff reporter/KHALEEJ TIMES 8 July 2008

DUBAI — The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) plans to introduce a bus service exclusively for women by the end of this year, according to a senior RTA official.

The CEO of Public Transport Agency at the RTA, Essa Al Dossari, said: “We are in the process of planning better public transport services. The number of women travelling by buses is very high. Our future plans include a fleet of buses which would be only for women.”

More seats

Women commuters have been demanding more seats in the buses, he said. There are also complaints that bus drivers often do not stop to pick up women passengers because of non-availability of seats for them as the seats are few. Presently, there are only 12 seats in each bus for women.

Dossari had told Khaleej Times earlier that RTA was studying the bus routes on which the number of seats for women could be increased. He said that during peak hours, the bus drivers needed to stop at the bus stops which had women waiting. “Logically, if all the seats are occupied the driver can normally carry on the trip flow. During peak hours, however, the drivers must stop and take all the women on board.”