RTA: 262m used public transport in Dubai in first half of 2014

Over 262.5 million people in Dubai have used public transport including Dubai Metro, public buses, marine transit modes and taxis in the first half of the current year, says a top official of Roads and Transport Authority, RTA.
Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, has said that last year during the same period about 165,527,687 commuters used the mass public transport to commute across the city, expressing his delight with the annual growth in the number of public transport users, an epitome of RTA’s strategic direction in curbing the use of private vehicles and broadening the use of mass transit modes rendering them the preferred mobility option for the residents of the Dubai Emirate, where the RTA is seeking to raise the share of public transport means in the movement of residents to as much as 30% by 2030.
"The share of public transport means grew from 6% in 2006 to 13% in 2013 and is expected to hit 14% by the end of this year. This sustained growth has been made thanks to a superb and integrated mass transit means network comprising the Dubai Metro, a modern fleet of public buses and marine transit means comprising traditional abras, water bus, Dubai Ferry, and the water taxi. The last quarter of this year will witness the launch of the Dubai Tram; a further addition to public transit means poised to serve a large segment of residents in an area characterized by high population density and a hub for visitors heading to it throughout the year." Explaining the breakdown of ridership, Al Tayer said: "The number of passengers using the Dubai Metro Red and Green Lines over the past six months amounted to 81,403,876 riders compared to 67,101,316 riders recorded during the same period last year. The number of riders using the Red Line in the first half of this year clocked 51,799,232 passengers compared to 43,552,110 passengers during the first half of last year. The number of riders using the Green Line during the first six months of this year reached 29,604,644 passengers compared to 23,549,206 passengers during the same period last year. Deira City Center, Burj Khalifa, Union and Al Riqqa Stations accounted for the lion share of the Red Line ridership. Deira City Center Station topped the ridership recording 3,655,016 riders, closely followed by Burj Khalifa Station which attracted 3,446,410 riders, slightly ahead of the Union Station which was used by 3,400,949 riders, and Rigga Station which recorded 3,256,112 riders. As for the Green Line, Al Fahidi, Baniyas and Al Ghubaiba Stations accounted for the majority of riders where Al Fahidi Station was used by about 4 million riders, followed by Baniyas Station which was used by 3,782,988 riders and Al Ghubaiba Station which served 2,818,597 riders.
"The number of persons using public buses during the first half of this year amounted to 67,598,035 riders which compares well with the bus ridership reported during the same period last year to 56,256,678 riders. Dubai Bus service was the most popular service attracting 45,899,235 passengers, followed by the metro stations feeder bus service which lifted 11,720,647 people, Inter-City bus service lifted 6,810,457 riders, and the rest spread over car rental service for organizations and firms," elaborated RTA top official.
"The marine transit means comprising abras, water bus, water taxi, Ferry Dubai, have lifted 7.182 million riders where abras were used by 6,643,290 riders, water bus was used by 294,312 riders, Dubai Ferry was used by 52,848 riders and the water taxi was used by 11,376 riders. Taxicabs operating in Dubai (Dubai Taxi and franchise companies) made 53,282,652 journeys lifting 106,565,304 riders," he concluded.