09 November 2015
Muscat: A new route connecting Ruwi and Mebela will start operating with new buses from November 22 as the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) has revealed its new brand identity 'Mwasalat.'
In a ceremony held on Sunday under the auspices of Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, minister of transport and communications, ONTC (Mwasalat) announced that 50 new buses will be delivered by the end of the month.
Ten buses will be used on routes connecting Muscat and other governorates while 40 buses will be used in Muscat.
Some of the new buses will be used to replace old buses running on the existing Ruwi-Wadi Kabir route. Different types of new buses from Mwasalat's current fleet will be used on another current route, linking Ruwi and Wadi Adai.
Ruwi-Muttrah-Al Alam Palace route and Ruwi-Madinat Al Nahda route will start operating in the first quarter of 2016, and Al Khoud-SQU-Burj Al Sahwa route will be operational in the second quarter of next year.
Timing
The headway for Ruwi-Mabela route is 15 minutes. The first bus leaves from Ruwi at 6:00 am and the last bus leaves from Ruwi at 9:15 pm.
The headway for Ruwi-Wadi Kabir route is 20 minutes. The first bus leaves from Ruwi at 6:05 am and the last bus leaves from Ruwi at 9:40 pm.
The headway for Ruwi-Wadi Adai route is 15 minutes. The first bus leaves from Ruwi at 6:05 am and the last bus leaves from Ruwi at 9:00 pm.
The headway for other routes that will start operating next year will be 20 minutes.
Fares
Muscat has been divided into several zones to determine the fares.
The fare for traveling in a single zone is free up to November 30, 100 baiza from December 1 to February 28, 2016 and 200 baiza from March 1, 2016.
The fare for traveling in two zones is free up to November 30, 200 baiza from December 1 to February 28, 2016 and 300 baiza from March 1, 2016.
The fare for traveling in three zones is free up to November 30, 300 baiza from December 1 to February 28, 2016 and 500 baiza from March 1, 2016.
Five million passengers
At a press conference, Ahmed Ali Al Bulushi, chief executive officer of Mwasalat, said that five million passengers are expected to use the new services throughout the year.
Mwasalat is also working with the Muscat Municipality to provide some 'park and ride' areas.
The new buses are disabled-friendly and eating and smoking is prohibited on the buses. They are equipped with cameras, which is also a way to monitor the drivers. The buses are expected to be equipped with WiFi in the future.
Drivers
There are certain criteria for the drivers and around 200 drivers are being trained. Currently, there are only Omani drivers, but if needed, expatriate drivers will be used.
In a section of the bus, priority will be given to families and women. However, other passengers can also use these seats if they are not occupied.
Investment
According to Al Bulushi, around OMR7 million have been invested in the new buses and the investment is expected to reach around OMR10 million if the IT services, design, studies, stops and training costs are included.
New signs will also be used to identify the stops along the way, featuring a timetable on the front and a map on the back side.
Al Bulushi encouraged everyone to support the public transport services, which the company plans to make 'safe, accessible and reliable.'
The company currently has 700 staff and plans to increase it to 1,000 in the future. The current Omanisation rate is 95 per cent.
Speaking to reporters, the minister said that a special dedicated lane for the public transport may be introduced next year if the design can be completed.
Taxi services
Asked if there is any plan to organise taxi services or bring the activities of taxis under the supervision of Mwasalat, the minister said, "We are waiting now for the issuance of the Royal Decree for the Land Transport Law, and, after that, we will start imposing them on taxi drivers."
There will be certain requirements, policies and regulations, like metering, he explained.
"We will allow, maybe some high-class taxi services (to be delivered) by companies. So, this company, if they want to do these services..., we may allow them to provide high-class taxi services, keeping the (ordinary) taxi services," he noted.
Muscat: A new route connecting Ruwi and Mebela will start operating with new buses from November 22 as the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) has revealed its new brand identity 'Mwasalat.'
In a ceremony held on Sunday under the auspices of Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, minister of transport and communications, ONTC (Mwasalat) announced that 50 new buses will be delivered by the end of the month.
Ten buses will be used on routes connecting Muscat and other governorates while 40 buses will be used in Muscat.
Some of the new buses will be used to replace old buses running on the existing Ruwi-Wadi Kabir route. Different types of new buses from Mwasalat's current fleet will be used on another current route, linking Ruwi and Wadi Adai.
Ruwi-Muttrah-Al Alam Palace route and Ruwi-Madinat Al Nahda route will start operating in the first quarter of 2016, and Al Khoud-SQU-Burj Al Sahwa route will be operational in the second quarter of next year.
Timing
The headway for Ruwi-Mabela route is 15 minutes. The first bus leaves from Ruwi at 6:00 am and the last bus leaves from Ruwi at 9:15 pm.
The headway for Ruwi-Wadi Kabir route is 20 minutes. The first bus leaves from Ruwi at 6:05 am and the last bus leaves from Ruwi at 9:40 pm.
The headway for Ruwi-Wadi Adai route is 15 minutes. The first bus leaves from Ruwi at 6:05 am and the last bus leaves from Ruwi at 9:00 pm.
The headway for other routes that will start operating next year will be 20 minutes.
Fares
Muscat has been divided into several zones to determine the fares.
The fare for traveling in a single zone is free up to November 30, 100 baiza from December 1 to February 28, 2016 and 200 baiza from March 1, 2016.
The fare for traveling in two zones is free up to November 30, 200 baiza from December 1 to February 28, 2016 and 300 baiza from March 1, 2016.
The fare for traveling in three zones is free up to November 30, 300 baiza from December 1 to February 28, 2016 and 500 baiza from March 1, 2016.
Five million passengers
At a press conference, Ahmed Ali Al Bulushi, chief executive officer of Mwasalat, said that five million passengers are expected to use the new services throughout the year.
Mwasalat is also working with the Muscat Municipality to provide some 'park and ride' areas.
The new buses are disabled-friendly and eating and smoking is prohibited on the buses. They are equipped with cameras, which is also a way to monitor the drivers. The buses are expected to be equipped with WiFi in the future.
Drivers
There are certain criteria for the drivers and around 200 drivers are being trained. Currently, there are only Omani drivers, but if needed, expatriate drivers will be used.
In a section of the bus, priority will be given to families and women. However, other passengers can also use these seats if they are not occupied.
Investment
According to Al Bulushi, around OMR7 million have been invested in the new buses and the investment is expected to reach around OMR10 million if the IT services, design, studies, stops and training costs are included.
New signs will also be used to identify the stops along the way, featuring a timetable on the front and a map on the back side.
Al Bulushi encouraged everyone to support the public transport services, which the company plans to make 'safe, accessible and reliable.'
The company currently has 700 staff and plans to increase it to 1,000 in the future. The current Omanisation rate is 95 per cent.
Speaking to reporters, the minister said that a special dedicated lane for the public transport may be introduced next year if the design can be completed.
Taxi services
Asked if there is any plan to organise taxi services or bring the activities of taxis under the supervision of Mwasalat, the minister said, "We are waiting now for the issuance of the Royal Decree for the Land Transport Law, and, after that, we will start imposing them on taxi drivers."
There will be certain requirements, policies and regulations, like metering, he explained.
"We will allow, maybe some high-class taxi services (to be delivered) by companies. So, this company, if they want to do these services..., we may allow them to provide high-class taxi services, keeping the (ordinary) taxi services," he noted.
© Times of Oman 2015
