Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Saudi Arabia launches Intercity bus service liking 200 Cities and Governorates across the Kingdom
The launch of the intercity bus service in Saudi Arabia, which aims to connect 200 cities and governorates across the kingdom, represented a key turning point for the country's transportation and logistics industry. Trending Video : Overtime as per Saudi Labor Law
The project, a partnership between Saudi Arabia and international partners, aims to provide all-inclusive passenger bus services.
- The operation will be led by three significant international partners over 76 routes inside their assigned concession zones. Together, they expect to provide a modern bus fleet, which will include several buses with eco-friendly technologies, to more than six million people yearly.
- The project's main goals are to give travelers a variety of transportation options, allow easier intra-kingdom transit, reduce carbon emissions, strengthen safety measures, and lessen traffic. Read : Saudi Arabia expands Tourist e-Visa for 6 new countries
Three international collaborations will run the bus services:
* The southern region will be run by SAT (SAPTCO Alsa for Transportation), which will connect more than 80 cities and governorates via 27 routes and 178 daily trips.
* DARB AlWatan Company will be in charge of the northern region, providing 124 daily trips across 26 routes throughout more than 75 cities and governorates.
* With the acquisition of the northwest region, the Northwest Bus Company intends to offer 190 daily trips over 23 routes between more than 70 cities and governorates. Most Viewed : Pakistan wants to send more workers to Saudi Arabia
- One of the strategy's key objectives is to boost public transportation use from 1% to 15% by 2030 while, just as importantly, reducing transportation-related carbon emissions by 25% by that same year.
- The chairman of the board of directors of the Transport General Authority (TGA), Saleh Al Jasser, Minister of Transportation and Logistics, attended the opening ceremony. Ministers, diplomats, and executives from top government and business sector organizations were among those who were present.
- The minister stated in his speech that the project has the potential to create over 35,000 direct and indirect job opportunities and increase the GDP by 3.2 billion riyals. See Also : Saudi Arabia contributes $2 Million to UNRWA to support Palestinian people
- According to Al Jasser, "Saudi Arabia has witnessed considerable developments across all transport and logistics sectors since the Crown Prince's inception of the National Strategy for Transport and Logistics Services." He also noted that transportation-related activities increased by 46% significantly in the Year 2022 compared to the Year 2021.
- Being the first foreign-invested project in the Kingdom's bus transportation industry is a remarkable feature of this effort. The major goal is still to raise service quality and promote private sector cooperation.
- The Transport Minister added that the ongoing efforts to improve services, increase competitiveness, integrate different modes of transportation, and bring cutting-edge, environmentally friendly transportation options. Join Saudi Expatriates channel on Telegram
- At the event, major details regarding the alliances and the sectors of their operations that aligned with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy were presented.
- One of the strategy's key objectives is to double the share of people who utilize public transportation, from 1% to 15%, by 2030 while also reducing carbon emissions from transportation by 25% by the same year.
