DUBAI: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is looking at increasing the frequency of feeder buses on route F43 to cater to Discovery Gardens residents.
Sharing details of a feasibility study conducted in the area, RTA said they are monitoring ridership patterns and working on measures to minimise waiting time.
Two buses currently operate on Discovery Gardens route F43 (from Ibn Battuta) and route 85 (from Dubai Internet City). Around 9,000 riders take the F43 daily. RTA said they introduced another feeder bus service - F42 last month as their studies showed the existing buses were packed to capacity when they reached Discovery Gardens.
Eight trips an hour
The new bus does eight trips every hour, but that’s still not enough. “We are planning to increase the frequency of F43 buses from September,” said Mohammad Al Ali, director of planning and business development, RTA.
Daily commuters in Discovery Gardens said they have to often wait for up to one hour for a bus.
Indian expatriate, Velly Fernandes, who lives on Street 1, said she is invariably late to work as she has to wait at least 45 minutes for a bus. “It’s very frustrating. My office starts at 9am. I leave home at 7.15am yet I rarely reach on time,” said Fernandes, an accounts assistant for a freight forwarding company on Shaikh Zayed Road. “The closest bus stop is a ten-minute walk from my house. Then I have to wait for the bus to take me to the Ibn Battuta metro station. If you add the commute time on the Metro to World Trade Centre where my office is located, it adds up to more than two hours.”
A student said he is often forced to take a cab to reach his college in Knowledge Village. “It’s expensive but I am often left with no choice,” he said.
Filipina Jenny Santos who lives on Street 10 said she hoped authorities will increase the frequency of buses on the route.”is.”
