Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Bus Project trial begins

Abu Dhabi: The King Abdulaziz Public Bus Transport Network in Riyadh city started trial operations on Wednesday, local media reported.

The network’s extensive testing program includes examining all aspects of bus operations, ensuring punctuality, bus driver skills, adherence to safety procedures, and traffic patterns, as well as testing more than 3,000 stations and stopping points spread across the network’s 80 routes.

The Riyadh Bus Project was scheduled to start operation in the second quarter of 2021, but no date has yet been set for its launch.

According to a decision taken by the Cabinet, a supreme committee would supervise the Riyadh Metro Project and the construction of a parallel network for bus transport, in line with the Comprehensive Public Transport Plan laid down by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.

The plan aims to provide public transport service to all categories of the population, diversifying the modes and means of transport in the city in an effective and suitable manner, keeping in mind the social, economic, environmental and traffic conditions.

The project is expected to give the city a big boost, going beyond providing public transport service to all segments of the population.