Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed an agreement with the Australian bus manufacturer BusTech Group to test the operation of an eco-friendly, zero-emission electric bus to verify its operational feasibility in Dubai’s climatic environment.
The trial run will also test innovative technologies to enhance the customer service experience and enable the bus to operate as a smart asset seamlessly integrated with Dubai’s environmental mass transit system. The assessment will also include the bus benefits and performance as well as the feedback from drivers and customers to continuously identify improvement areas.
Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of Public Transport Agency, RTA, and Dan Marks, CEO, BusTech Group, signed the agreement on behalf of the respective parties.
“This is the first agreement under the Memorandum of Understanding signed between RTA and the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Government, Australia, aimed at enhancing the cooperation between both parties,” said Bahrozyan.
“RTA’s environmental-friendly plans call for increasing the number of electric and hybrid vehicles, improving energy-efficient facilities, upgrading streetlights, and reducing waste. It also aims to modify its buildings to achieve carbon neutrality in line with Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050,” added Bahrozyan.
Dan Marks, Chief Executive Officer of BusTech Group said: “BusTech Group is proud to be working in collaboration with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority on an electric bus trial. On the back of the collaboration MoU signed between the Queensland Government’s Department of Transport and Main Roads and Dubai’s RTA, BusTech Group looks forward to facilitating greater cooperation between Queensland and Dubai, and to deploying Australian designed and engineered zero-emissions technology buses into Dubai’s world-recognised public transport network.”
It is noteworthy that BusTech Group has been operating in Dubai since 2017 where one of its first-generation electric buses has been operating as a shuttle service. The next generation of its electric buses will be trialled on urban roads of the Emirate.