ABU DHABI 2 January 2019: The Department of Transport (DoT) in Abu Dhabi is adding new bus routes – as well as improving existing services – in order to enhance the quality of services provided to the public.
It has launched Express Bus Services in four routes as well as four new routes to improve connectivity in the city of Abu Dhabi and its suburbs. Furthermore, the second phase of the “Hail and Ride” service was launched in Khalifa City. It is a free mini bus service which was introduced earlier this year in Mussafah to transports travelers from different places to the main bus stations hubs within specific routes.
The new Express Bus Service includes:
- X2 and X3 services from Al Khalidiya to Al Maqta
- X4 and X5 services from Al Zahiya to Al Maqta
Four new routes came as a response to the public demand after a comprehensive study based on their feedback, needs, and travel behavior. The four new routes will cover:
- Service 74 from Al Reem North to Al Rowdha
- Service 71 from Al Reem North to Marina
- Service 26 from Marina to Khalifa Park
- Service 20 from Marina to Al Rowdha
The development of Abu Dhabi International Airport bus services will improve the travel experience for both arrivals and departures as there were three new services added, as well as changes to existing bus airport services to provide cost-effective travel for both residents and visitors.
These services which connect the passengers to the Abu Dhabi International Airport are:
- (A1) service from Al Zahiyah passenger terminal
- (A2) service from Al Dana Khalifa street
- (A10) service from Dalma Mall in Mussafah
- (A20) service from Al Shahama
- (A40) service from Al Wathba
All of these services lead to Abu Dhabi International Airport.
The “Hail and Ride” phase 1 which was launched as a free experiment earlier this year in Mussafah has now been complemented by the launch of the second phase in Khalifa City by providing five services that operate from 5:00 am to 10:00 pm, with 1 hour trip interval, which totals to 18 passenger trips per day. This service transports travelers from different places to feed and connect the main station hubs within specific routes and aims to provide the public with ease and comfort which has significantly increase their satisfaction with the public transport.
New initiative and improvement which has been ongoing in the recent years resulted in an increase in the public transport users in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, as the total number of passenger trips from January to October 2018 reached 53.6 million compared to 42.6 million in 2017, an increase of 26% which is considered as a strong and positive indicator of public transport usage.
The new initiatives will also contribute to the success of the strategy of the DoT and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to reduce traffic, increase safety, reduce pollution, and achieve the targeted performance indicator in these areas.
Ahmed Ateeq Al Mazrouei, Advisor to the Chairman of the DoT and Head of Buses and Water Ferries Team, said that the launch of the new Express Service in four routes that have limited stops will result significantly on the level of service offered by DoT. A special logo has been created for the service that will help the commuters distinguish the Express Bus Service. Under the theme “Experience the Change”, it aims to encourage the residents and visitors to use public transportation. These new services will be implemented in the areas with high density of the city which will result in reducing travel time by 30% and the number of stops by 50%.
These new services came as part of DoT’s effort to improve connectivity among different areas in Abu Dhabi in which resulted significantly in reducing the travel time between stations in the same routes during peak hours, leading to an improved traffic movement and public road safety.
