RTA launches delivery service excellence award

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched the Delivery Service Excellence Award to encourage delivery service companies and drivers to have a role in stepping up road traffic safety across the emirate. The award also seeks to leverage the level of customer services provided by delivery companies.

The award is comprised of two categories. The first category is for Companies and aims to recognise the best two companies in the delivery service as well as the best two companies in delivery service via smart platforms and apps. The second category is for Professional Drivers, which honours the best 10 drivers each year.

RTA attaches high priority to traffic safety and is keen to implement Dubai’s traffic safety strategy. It makes every effort to achieve its zero-fatality vision to make Dubai the best in the world in the field of traffic safety. From this perspective, RTA is committed to streamlining the delivery market to enhance traffic safety for cyclists and road users, and serve the interests of all stakeholders.

The award nurtures a competitive environment among delivery companies, steps up quality and excellence practices of customers service, and improves the traffic safety level. It also motivates delivery drivers to abide by the traffic regulations.

The key criteria for selecting the best delivery companies include compliance with health, safety, environment and quality standards, abiding by RTA’s requirements and the top international practices, committing to using advanced technologies and continuous training, and improving customers satisfaction ratings. The criteria for selecting the best drivers include a clean record in terms of complaints, offences and accidents in addition to a positive assessment of the employee’s performance.

The Covid-19 pandemic led to an upsurge in the demand for delivery service companies to meet the public needs for goods and products. The situation dictated the need to streamline the business of the sector in a way to ensure providing excellent delivery services to the public.

In this regard, RTA published a manual to regulate the delivery service activity. It set the specifications and conditions for registering and licensing motorcycles and drivers, which include comprehensive insurance of motorcycles. In cooperation with drivers licensing institutes, RTA trained about 10,000 motorbike drivers to get them acquainted with the conditions and obligations that should be adhered to when driving motorcycles, especially observing the speed limits and avoiding driving in fast lanes.

The manual also set the conditions of licensing firms, the delivery process, training and drivers along with the specifications of the delivery boxes and driver uniforms. It also set the conditions for contracting with delivery companies according to the international standards to ensure high safety and quality, reduce traffic incidents and improve the level of customer services. The compliance with these requirements contributes to serving the public interest and achieving the zero-death vision of the traffic safety strategy.