Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the region, has signed an agreement with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to facilitate the complimentary shuttle bus service which has been available for its employees since 2009.

The agreement comes after RTA was selected as the preferred provider for the shuttle bus service that will transport Emirates NBD employees to and from their residences across Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman.

As per the deal, RTA will provide 45 buses from the Public Transport Agency to transport 1,300 employees in 2200 trips monthly on more than 50 routes.

This agreement is another sign of success following the RTA’s efforts to provide transport services to Emirates Airlines employees for commuting from their offices to Dubai residential areas using the Public Transport Agency buses.

Present at the signing were Emirates NBD vice chairman Hesham Al Qassim, Group CEO Rick Pudner, Group chief operating officer Abdulla Qassem besides RTA chairman Mattar Al Tayer and chief operating officer Eisa Al Dosari.

Al Tayer said the RTA was keen on promoting best practices and programs for transport management in order to contribute to the reduction in traffic congestions and minimize the number of trips using personal cars.

RTA is also keen on resolving problems arising from the limitation in parking spaces in areas that are near public and private institutions, he added.

Al Qassim said this agreement signifies a new milestone in Emirates NBD’s efforts towards providing its most valuable asset, its employees, with world class transport services.

"The bank’s transportation team has been working closely with the RTA team and Department Administrators to ensure that all current shuttle service users are mapped to the RTA service. The launch of the new shuttle bus services further confirms Emirates NBD’s keen interest in supporting a clean and eco-friendly environment," he added.-TradeArabia News Service