DUBAI // With no official parking area for long-haul trucks and trailers, drivers and transport firms say they face more tough fines for parking illegally.
Now, to prevent 16-wheelers from pulling up by the sides of the roads or stopping in unofficial parking lots, Dubai will provide a new, huge parking area.
Khalifa Hareb, the director of Dubai Municipality's assets management department, said plans were under way to develop a parking area that would accommodate about 1,000 vehicles.
"There is a plan to set aside a big area of land," he said. "We are planning to put services such as security, cafes, tyre services and bathrooms."
"We have received complaints. We see accidents and all spaces near the roads are full of trucks," he said.
Mr Hareb said his department was working to finalise the details of the parking area, with a decision due at the end of the month.
Drivers likely will be charged a "small amount" to use the parking zone.
The municipality estimates there are about 1,000 long-haul trucks stationed in and around Dubai. One driver, who would be identified only as Mohammed from Pakistan, has been operating a truck in the emirate for 11 years.
In 2003, he managed to save enough money to buy his own trailer which he drives up and down the Gulf and further north to the Levant to deliver cargo.
But, when he is not on the road, Mohammed, 38, parks his trailer alongside dozens of other trucks in a sandy lot in Al Awir, risking hefty fines.
Mohammed and other drivers rent shared accommodation elsewhere and every day they come to the lot, waiting by their trucks until they receive a call to collect cargo.
If they are caught, they can face fines in the hundreds of dirhams, said Mohammed, a father of three who makes about Dh2,000 a month.
"It is a very difficult situation here," he said. "Before it was easy. Now they issue a lot of fines."
For other drivers who do not have accommodation in Dubai, their trucks double as a home. Mustapha Nassar, 39, from Syria, drives a refrigerated trailer, transporting mostly fruits and vegetables. While he is waiting for a pick-up or delivery in Dubai, he is able to park for short periods in a small lot on the grounds of the Fruit and Vegetable Market in Al Awir.
"I live in my truck, it's my home," he said. "It's a hard life for us, especially in the summer. It's too hard and we get too many fines."
Seated nearby on a colourful mat underneath the carriage of a truck sharing tea with two friends, Yahya, another Syrian driver, said he slept next to his vehicle or inside the cabin.
"There is no place for us to stay," he said. "It's hot, but we manage."
Sahadevan Sajeesh, the operations manager for Al Robban Shipping and Freight Services in Dubai, which has several trailers and trucks under its management, said his company had also been affected.
"Before we did not have this problem and the trucks could just park in the industrial areas," he said. "They have to find some solution and not immediately give fines."
Mr Sajeesh said they had noticed more fines have been issued in the past couple of months, leading the company to consider purchasing land where it can station its trucks.
The exact value of the fines that have been issued recently is unclear, although drivers report that they face hundreds of dirhams in penalties.
The Roads and Traffic Authority, which issues some of the fines, was unavailable for comment yesterday.
zconstantine@thenational.ae
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%20Profile
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The specs
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Torque: 475Nm
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
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Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
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