Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is constructing 19 truck rest stops and lay-bys across several ‘hotspots’ in Dubai in a joint venture with the private sector.
The project includes three Integrated Truck Lay-bys: one in partnership with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and two in partnership with Almutakamela Vehicle Testing and Registration.
In cooperation with ADNOC, RTA will also construct 16 truck rest stops in Dubai covering six key locations, strategic roads, and logistics hubs that attract a huge number of trucks daily.
These include Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Emirates Road, Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai-Al Ain Road, Jebel Ali – Lehbab Road, and Al Aweer Road.
The total area of the 19 truck rest stops and lay-bys is more than 300,000 sq. m., with a capacity to accommodate over 1,000 trucks and heavy vehicles.
The three Integrated Truck Lay-bys provide a host of services that step up the safety and wellbeing of drivers, such as diesel-refuelling stations, motels, maintenance workshops, restaurants, administrative buildings, prayer rooms, driving training centres, clinics, pharmacies, exchange shops, laundry, and other support services and facilities for the safety and wellbeing of heavy vehicle drivers.
The truck rest stops include service facilities, prayer rooms, diesel refuelling stations, restaurants, maintenance workshops, and rest areas for drivers.
The three Integrated Trucks Lay-bys encompass a total area of over 226,000 sq. m., each with a capacity ranging from 120 to 200 trucks and heavy vehicles.
The lay-by to be built by Almutakamela Vehicle Testing and Registration is located on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road near Jebel Ali Free Zone and Al Maktoum International Airport. It spans 100,000 sq. m. with a capacity of about 200 trucks.
The second layby, to be built by ADNOC, is situated near Emirates Road, next to the Al Tayy Racetrack. It has a 76,000 sq. m. area and has a capacity of 150 trucks, said RTA in its statement. 0
The third layby, again courtesy of Almutakamela, is located nearby the entry to the Dubai Industrial City (DIC) and covers 51,000 sq. m., with a capacity of approximately 120 trucks.
Meanwhile, each of the Trucks Rest Stops spans an area from 5,000 to 10,000 sq. m., with a capacity to accommodate 30 to 40 trucks.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of RTA executive directors board, said: “The construction of trucks rest stops and lay-bys contributes significantly to improving traffic safety, reducing truck related accidents by up to 50%, streamlining the traffic flow during truck ban times, increasing traffic awareness of truck drivers about traffic rules, and resolving the problem of parking trucks on main roads and residential areas.”
