Tag Archives: technology
Entire Dubai Metro cabin for women and children
Entire Dubai Metro cabin for women and children Lily B. Libo-on / 27 August 2013 From September 1, the Roads and Transport Authority’s Rail Agency will extend the Metro cabin capacity for women and child passengers to meet the growing demand during peak hours. A cabin of the Dubai Metro reserved for women and children during peak hours from September 1. — KT photo by Leslie Pableo Peak hours are from 7am to 9am and from 5pm to 8pm during which one cabin will be allocated entirely for women and children from Sundays to Thursdays. Currently, only half of the cabin is dedicated as special Dubai Metro compartment for women and children to provide, in addition to privacy, more space to allow strollers and bags. Ramadan Abdullah Mohammed, Director of Rail Operations, said that every Metro train has five cabins, of which half a cabin has been allocated to women and children and the other half for Gold card-holders, and the rest for all other passengers. “With the extension of the Metro cabin capacity for women and children, only three-and-a-half cabins will be for other passengers during peak hours starting September 1. “The number of women and children Metro passengers have noticeably increased primarily due to the growth in the public transport culture among the public from different social cross-sections, including women and children. Such a rise in the number of these commuters has prompted us to extend the current capacity of their Metro cabin to reach half of silver cabin.” He said that this Metro cabin capacity is being extended to make the Metro trip smoother and more comfortable for women and children, especially that this segment of Metro passengers needs to be given privacy. The Rail Operation director appealed to all male Metro commuters to respect this new cabin allocation during the peak hours and help women and child travellers enjoy riding in the Metro with more privacy. Dubai Metro, which was launched on 09-09-2009, is servicing 400,000 riders a day, with 46 trains on the Red Line and 10 trains on the Green Line during peak hours. Dubai’s is the world’s longest driverless Metro at 75km. – lily@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Nationals as school bus supervisors in Abu Dhabi
Nationals as school bus supervisors in Abu Dhabi Olivia Olarte-Ulherr / 27 August 2013 When classes at public schools open on September 8, school bus checks will be carried out by Emiratis who are newly employed to serve as school bus supervisors. “A total of 550 existing positions will be replaced by Emiratis between September 2013 and January 2014” following a phased approach, said Engineer Khaled Al Ansari, school services manager at the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec). The move is part of the Emiratisation plan by the council — to create 678 new jobs as school bus supervisors (escorts) and provide sustainable employment opportunities for UAE nationals in the education sector. “The roll-out will depend upon the actual demand for buses, the availability of resources and the procedures of Emirates Transport. Female bus supervisors will (also) be employed for all Kindergarten and Cycle 1 (Grades 1-5) schools,” he added. Public school bus service provider Emirates Transport is collaborating with the Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council to select the Emirati candidates for the position. “So far, Tawteen have received CVs and conducted orientation sessions and interviews with suitable candidates,” Al Ansari told Khaleej Times. All bus escorts will be provided comprehensive training by Emirates Transport. According to Al Ansari, this strategy will contribute to the learning and growth of Emiratis, in addition to responding to community requests for their greater involvement in school-related activities. “Supervising the health and safety of students whilst they are in transit also provides an important opportunity for enhancement of cultural traditions and positively influencing student behaviour.” Asked if the Emiratis are willing to work as bus supervisors, Al Ansari said: “Yes, many Emiratis are very keen to be involved in the supervision of students on the buses as this provides them with a great opportunity to promote safety and assist in the growth and behavioural guidance of our young people.” Bus supervisors’ primary responsibility is to ensure the health and safety of his or her wards whilst travelling to and from school. This includes ensuring they are properly seated with seat belts fastened when the bus is in motion, that all children have disembarked and that those below 11 years are personally collected by a guardian at the drop off. They are also required to participate in educating students about traffic safety and the proper demeanour inside the bus. There are currently 1,791 school buses serving the public schools across the emirate. For the new academic year, 76 additional buses will be introduced to cover new residential areas, including Al Falah City. As part of the Department of Transport’s (DoT) safety and security measures, schools buses are required to be equipped with a CCTV system with an audio and video recording capability, which can be accessed wireless in case of emergency, and with a storage capacity of at least four weeks. At least four external cameras should be fixed to cover all sides of the bus showing the front, entrance, rear and when the bus is in reverse; with a monitoring screen on the dashboard in front of the driver. A GPS system should also be in place to monitor the movement and location of the buses. – olivia@khaleejtimes.com Responsibilities of school bus escorts > Ensure that all students are seated while the bus is moving and are using seatbelts where they are provided. No student is to be seated in the central seat or the rear row > Ensure that no student is left on board at the final destination > Ensure students under 11 years returning home are dropped off with a guardian. In case the guardian is not available, inform the school that the student is being returned to the school after the remaining students are dropped off > Ensure students behave and look after their safety during the journey. Report any incidents to the school transport coordinator > Ensure doorways, aisles and emergency exits are clear of any obstructions during the journey > Assist students in crossing the streets > Assist in evacuating the bus in case of an emergency > Use car seats for students below four years of age in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions > Refrain from eating, drinking and using the telephone while students are on the bus > Participate in educating students about traffic safety and how to use the bus, and supervise any entertainment programme on the bus Source: Department of Transport Continue reading
Brotherhood allies seek truce
Brotherhood allies seek truce (AP) / 26 August 2013 Two of Egypt’s former militant groups are offering an initiative to halt the country’s political violence, in which supporters of the ousted Islamist president will stop street protests if the military-backed government stops its crackdown on them, the groups’ leaders said on Monday. An Egyptian woman waits for her breakfast on a street fast food restaurant in Suleiman Gohar market in Dokki district in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday. -AP The initiative led by Egypt’s Gamaa Islamiya and Islamic Jihad movements, which waged an insurgency in the 1990s, aims to bring dialogue between the military and the Muslim Brotherhood, from which toppled President Mohammed Mursi hails. Mursi was overthrown by the military on July 3 after millions took to the street demanding that he step down. Mursi’s allies had previously insisted that he be restored to power as starting point for any talks, but Islamic Jihad leader Mohammed Abu Samra told The Associated Press that negotiations had no “red lines.” The groups do not speak for the Brotherhood, but the initiative is a new sign of flexibility from the pro-Mursi alliance of mostly Islamist groups. It comes as the Islamists’ protest campaign wanes and numbers at their formerly massive rallies dwindle. Hundreds of Brotherhood leaders and organisers have been arrested in the crackdown. Egypt’s worst bout of violence in its 2 ½ years of turmoil was set off when security forces backed by snipers and armoured vehicles moved in to break up two sprawling pro-Mursi protest camps on August 14. More than 1,000 people were killed in the raids and other violence over the next several days, mostly Mursi supporters. “We are paving the way for talks,” Abu Samra said over the phone. “We can’t hold talks while we are at the points of swords in the midst of killings and crackdowns.” He said the groups were “extending their hands” to avoid a bloodier confrontation with the military. He said that the Islamists will stop demonstrations so long as the military halts its crackdown and stops defaming the Brotherhood in mosques and in the media. Asked if Islamist groups would accept talks without demanding Mursi’s reinstatement, he said, “Blood is more valuable than the seat of power.” Top Muslim Brotherhood negotiator Amr Darrag said that the group is open for talks but after “confidence-building measures.” However, he added, “the other side didn’t show a single gesture or any sign that it is ready for dialogue. It only talks about it but no action.” It was not immediately possible to reach the interim president’s political advisers for comment. Egypt’s Interim Prime Minister Hazem El Beblawi had earlier told reporters that security measures will not be enough on their own and that Egypt “must go down the political path” to work out a democratic transition through reconciliation. However, he ruled out talks with anyone who had committed acts of violence. Continue reading
