In collaboration with the private sector, Dubai RTA -Roads and Transport Authority is in the process of constructing 19 truck rest stops and lay-bys at various locations in the city.
The project consists of three integrated trucks lay-bys, with one being developed in partnership with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and two in collaboration with Almutakamela Vehicle Testing and Registration.
Additionally, in cooperation with ADNOC, Dubai RTA will build 16 truck rest stops at six key locations, including strategic roads and logistic cities that experience a high influx of trucks on a daily basis. These locations comprise 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 all 19 truck rest stops and lay-bys exceeds 300,000 square meters, with ample capacity to accommodate over 1,000 trucks and heavy vehicles.
The three integrated trucks lay-bys will offer a range of services to enhance the safety and well-being of drivers. These services include diesel-refuelling stations, motels, maintenance workshops, restaurants, administrative buildings, prayer rooms, driving training centres, clinics, pharmacies, exchange shops, laundry facilities, and other support services for the benefit of heavy vehicle drivers.
Moreover, the truck rest stops will feature service facilities, prayer rooms, diesel refuelling stations, restaurants, maintenance workshops, and rest areas for drivers.
The three integrated trucks lay-bys will cover a total area of more than 226,000 square meters, with individual capacities ranging from 120 to 200 trucks and heavy vehicles.
Almutakamela Vehicle Testing and Registration is responsible for the first lay-by, positioned on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road close to Jebel Ali Free Zone and Al Maktoum International Airport. Covering an area of 100,000 square meters, it can accommodate approximately 200 trucks.
The second lay-by, managed by ADNOC, is situated near Emirates Road, adjacent to the Al Tayy Racetrack. Encompassing 76,000 square meters, it has a capacity of around 150 trucks.
As for the third lay-by, also handled by Almutakamela, it is located near the entrance to the Dubai Industrial City (DIC) and spans 51,000 square meters, with a capacity for roughly 120 trucks.
On another note, each of the truck rest stops covers an area ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 square meters, with a capacity to accommodate 30 to 40 trucks.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at Dubai RTA expressed his satisfaction with the collaboration with the private sector and the increased participation of private firms in infrastructure and service projects.
He said: “The agreement reached with ADNOC and Almutakamela to build and operate these trucks rest stops and lay-bys aims to raise the profile of Dubai as a global hub for logistical transport besides enhancing the safety and well-being of drivers by providing amenities and services needed in their daily lives.”
“The construction of trucks rest stops and lay-bys contributes significantly to improving traffic safety, reducing truck related accidents by up to 50 per cent, 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”.
The initiative offers convenient amenities for truck drivers, particularly during restricted hours when truck movement is banned on certain roads. It also addresses the growing need for truck parking spaces due to the significant increase in truck trips in Dubai, which now surpass 300,000 trips per day, transporting approximately 1.5 metric tonnes of goods daily.
This agreement to construct truck rest stops and lay-bys represents a pioneering effort in Dubai. It fully complies with the provisions outlined in Law No. (22) of 2015, which regulates public-private partnerships in the city. Under this agreement, the two companies will be responsible for both the construction and operation of the rest stops and lay-bys.
