2013
Bahrain Polytechnic
International Logistics Management
[URBAN PUBLIC TRANSPORT]
Assignment 3
Zainab Naser
201101711
Table of content:
Contents
Table of content: .......................................................................................................1
Table of figures: ........................................................................................................1
Introduction: ............................................................................................................2
Body: .......................................................................................................................2
Ownership and governance of urban public transport: ..................................................2
Finance of urban public transport and recovery the costs of operating them: ..................4
Responses to tourism and culture factors in urban public transports: ..............................5
Organizing and developing railway system: ..................................................................7
Table of figures:
Figure 1 Map showing the routes of the future plan of railway network in Saudi Arabia........8
Figure 2 GCC railway route.............................................................................................9
Introduction:
The aim of this report is to highlight the urban public transportations in the Gulf
countries, comparing between them in four points. It will contain future view of
railways in these six countries.
Body:
Ownership and governance of urban public transport:
Bahrain
Bahrain Public Transports are operated by private company called Cars
Transport Corporation and it is regulated by the government regulations
which are provided by the ministry of transportation. According to chief
executive officer Ahmed Bin Hindi, the level of regulations is not very high
and government needs to introduce new strict regulations and enforce
them in public transport. He also said, CARS company is operating a fleet
consists of 50 Mercedes buses which carry around 80 passenger and Toyota
mini buses. There are 600 bus stops in Bahrain for the buses but many of
them are not serviced because of unviable routes. The infrastructure of
public transport is weak and the roads are not designed well. (Arabia,
2012), (Transport ministry website).
UAE
Public transportations are owned by Road and Transport Authority (RTA)
which was formed in 2005 and governance by high level of regulations. It
provides different services such as road users services and transport
services. Moreover, it provides an advanced transport network based on
high quality of infrastructure of roads and facilities like metro stations, to
make the trips safe and smooth for passengers. RTA fleet consists of
modern luxury buses with different sizes, advanced metro and taxis. (RTA
website).
Kuwait
Kuwait Public Transport Company (KPTC) is responsible for operating public
transport buses in Kuwait. It operates under the wise control of the
government regulations and experienced national management.
Furthermore, it provides an integrated transportation services due to the
well-designed infrastructure, good roads and to its large transport fleet
which consists of various types of buses. It has medium size buses with 40
seats, air conditioned and style curtains, another type of buses is touristic
which it has 47 seats and equip pied with WC toilet and TV and the last type
of buses are small size bus enough for 25 passenger. (KPTC website).
Oman
Public transportation in Oman is governance by National Transport
Company which is owned by the government and it is regulated by the
government regulations. In addition, the company operates fleet of Baiza
buses which are colored white and orange, they are modern and air
conditioned. These buses serve all main routes, loose and wide network of
smaller byways in oman's cities. Another type of buses which are red and
green large buses, they serve limited routes from point to point in all
aroung Oman's cities. Seventeen long distance routes are provided for daily
trips around Omen. The roads in Oman are good for transportations.
However, some roads in Oman might be dangerous at night because of
camels. (Hotel Travel website).
Qatar
Public Transportation in Qatar consists of fleet of taxis and bus system
which is operated by government-owned transportation company called
Mwasalat (Karwa). It operates 1800 taxis and 2500 buses which cover 35
routes around Qatar cities. However, these services are unreliable,
ineffective and lack of safe because of the low level of governance and
because of the lack of infrastructure. There are no strict rules on the drivers
of the buses, most of bus drivers are illegal and drive crazy as Lana Khaleh,
a student at Carnegie Mellon in Qatar said. (Mohammed, 2012).
Saudi Arabia
The owner ship of public transportation is a private company called Saudi
Arabia Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) which is governance by
government regulations. SAPTCO provide good quality of services that link
382 villages and cities in Saudi Arabia through 110 routes using different
modes which are buses, train and metro. SAPTCO improved its passenger
facilities and added new luxury buses to its fleet recently to provide safe
and comfortable services. The infrastructure of the kingdom is good for the
use of public transportations. The stations are in central location and they
are equipped with prayer are and cafeteria. (SAPTCO website).
Finance of urban public transport and recovery the costs of operating
them:
Bahrain
The public transport in Bahrain is financed by the government. Because
Bahrain is rich with oil, it uses some of oil revenues and aluminum business
in operating public transports. It recovery the costs of operating by
advertising for companies on the buses, fares of using parks in the city
center and subsidizing.
UAE
The UAE government financed the public transport because of its oil
revenues and the high economy. Also foreign investors helped in financing
the public transport especially Dubai metro because Dubai is a famous
tourist city and a lot of tourists use the metro. UAE recovery these costs
from renting out retail outlets in stations, taxes or fares of some parking
areas in malls and road tolls in business areas. To add more, it recovery
some of the costs by the costs of advertisements in stations.
Kuwait
The government of Kuwait has financed and still financing public transports
getting use of its good economy and oil revenues. It recovery the costs by
the costs of tickets, advertising for companies in buses and in its website
and by road tolls; roads within business areas.
Oman
Without the financed of the government, public transportations in Oman
wouldn't exist. Like all GCC countries, Oman uses percentage of the oil
revenues to build and develop public transports. It recovery these costs by
the costs of using the buses, advertising on and in buses and by costs of
road tolls.
Qatar
Even though Qatar is a rich country, it cuts a small percentage of its
business and oil revenues to finance public transports. And because it
doesn't cost much, it recovery the costs by the costs of the tickets and the
fares of using some parking areas.
Saudi Arabia
The kingdom is the richest country of oil in the GCC region; it financed the
public transportations using percentage of oil and natural gas business.
Foreign investors also financed the train because it makes money each year
in Al haj season. Saudi recovery the costs by advertising for companies on
the buses and on the bus stop. Moreover, it recovery the costs also from
issuing bonds for people in ministries and renting out retail outlets in train
stations.
Responses to tourism and culture factors in urban public transports:
Bahrain
Generally, the quality of public transport in Bahrain is low; the service of
the buses is unreliable and the infrastructure is weak. People use to wait in
bus stops for long time without knowing if the bus will come or no. Tourists
cannot find schedules in the bus stops, most of the buses are dirty and
without air conditioner. As a result, the tourists use taxis rather than buses
but the taxis are expensive.
The culture in Bahrain precludes the women of using public transport as
she wears Abaya and Hijab and for other religion reasons. Another problem
related to the culture is that Bahraini people refuse to use public buses
when they are full with expats workers because of the smell and other
reasons.
UAE
UAE provide advanced public transport services which encourage the
tourists to use them. The buses and metro are clean, the seats are
comfortable, they are air conditioned and it committed to schedules which
are provided in the stations. In addition, tourists can find detailed
information with two Arabic and English languages in the stations which it
also has rooms to pray and close markets and other facilities. Moreover,
UAE provides NOL cards, which are smart cards. People can buy it from
stations; it helps them to move smoothly from one mode to another and to
pay fast without any complexes.
People in UAE use private cars because they used to it and as a matter of
prestige but when the metro opened in Dubai, it encourages people either
man or woman to use it as a modern type of transport. (RTA website).
Kuwait
As a result of the well-designed infrastructure, public transport services in
Kuwait are good. Kuwait as a rich country trying to encourage tourists to
use public transports by operating modern luxury buses which moves all
around Kuwait cities committing to schedules. Tourists can easily find these
schedules in the stations with more than one language. KPTC is providing
special buses for the tourists to take them to the tourism areas.
As a matter of prestige, most of Kuwaiti people refuse to use public
transports. Women can use public transports without any culture
problems. (KPTC website).
Oman
Oman policy to promote tourism is to have modern colored buses which
each color has special routes. Buses are new, air conditioned and the cost
of the ticket is cheap. There are buses special for the tourists to take them
to the tourism areas. What encourages them more to use public buses is
that there are no fixed taxi fares, tourist must negotiate the price. They are
run the risk of paying more than the average fares.
For the women in Oman, using public buses is not a problem for them even
when they are alone because they are safe, the women usually set in the
back seats of the buses and the men in front. (inter nation website).
Qatar
Qatar doesn’t really provide policies to encourage tourists or Qatari people
to use public transports. The infrastructure of the public transport is weak
and the services are unreliable, inefficient and not safe because of the crazy
illegal drivers. All these are factors let the tourists walk away from using
public transports.
Public buses are difficult for Qatari women to use because they feel unsafe
and because of culture restrictions. Even for expat women it is hard to use
public buses as a Filipino woman called Anne Marie said. She said that she
feels afraid of using public buses because only men use it. ( Mohammed,
2012).
Saudi Arabia
SAPTCO is a famous company in Saudi Arabia which it has a lot of
advertisements to attract tourists to use. It provides safe comfortable
services with low cost, the buses are with different sizes and they are new
and air conditioned. About the train, the facilities which are provided with
it have place to pray for men and women and cafeteria.
Only tourist in the Kingdom use public transport because of the culture.
Women are forbidden of using public transports because of culture
restricts.
Organizing and developing railway system:
Bahrain
Bahrain doesn't have railway system. However, the ministry of road
planning planned for railway project working with Huda Fakhroo which is a
design director. She said that the railway network will consist of monorail,
Light Rail Transport (LRT) from Bahrain International airport to Bahrain
mall, Bus Rapid Transport system (BRT) and trams. The network will cover
184.2km of the entire country using different colors for each route.
UAE
In 2009, United Arab Emirates opened an automated metro network in
Dubai which have different routes underground and on elevated viaducts.
It is the first metro in the GCC region and it is one of the world's safest
metros. (Dubai Metro website)
United Arab Emirates has made an expansion study to have metro in Abu
Dhabi length 131km. This study came as a result of the Surface Transport
Master Plan (STMP), it includes different types of transportations like:
trains, metro, trams and Light Rail Transit (LRT). It is predicted that building
this new services will be finished by 2030. (Abu Dhabi Metro).
Kuwait
Kuwait doesn’t have railways. In 2009, Kuwait lunched first metro rail
project which it will be 171km in around Kuwait cities. Both government
and private sectors are collaborating to implement this project. The
ministry of communication and the Spanish training company Ingenieria
and Consultoria de Tansporte (INECO) said that the project will enter
execution step in 2010 and it expected to complete by 2016. This project is
part of the GCC railway project. (railway-technology.com)
Oman
There are no main line railways in Oman, but there are some future plans
to build rail network that connect all Omani's ports by rail. The first stage
will start in 2015; the train railway will extend up to 3000km. In addition,
this plan is to cement Oman's position as a logistics center in the GCC
region. (Applegate, 2013).
Qatar
There are no railways in Qatar. However, in August 2009 Qatari Diar for
estate investment made a contract with Deutsche Bahn of Germany to plan
and build fast and integrated railway lines and underground networks in
Qatar. This contract create company specialized in railways called Qatar
Railways Development Company (QRDC) which it planned to have 345km
metro lines. The construction planned to start in 2011 to finish in 2022.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) operates a railway network which it
length around 1380Km in Saudi Arabia and the passenger line in 449km. It
is extended from King A.Aziz port in Dammam passing by some countries to
the capital city of the kingdom, Riyadh.
Because of the geographical expanse in the kingdom, Al-Shura Council
made recommendations to expand the railway network around the
kingdom's cities to connect the northern, western and eastern parts with
the center area in the kingdom (look at figure1). As a result, the kingdom
adopted a developed plan to expand the railway services. The plan consist
of 3 projects; one of them assigned to the ministry of finance and two of
them assigned to SRO. (SRO website).
Figure 1 Map showing the routes of the future plan of railway network in Saudi Arabia
The GCC railway:
All GCC countries have agreed to have GCC railway which it will connect the six gulf
countries together by 2116km rail for the first time, it will be an alternative for the plains or
ships. Dr Ramiz Al Assar, World Bank resident adviser of the GCC said that the design of the
railway network will cost nearly 200$ billion, this design will run down the Gulf coast from
Kuwait to Saudi Arabia to the UAE to Oman and there will be branches to link Bahrain and
Qatar (look at figure2). Moreover, network building will start in 2014 as it was planned and it
is expected to finish in 2018 (Salama, 2013).
Kingdom of Bahrain signed the Chairman of the Ministerial Committee for Services and
Infrastructure to study all possible choices for the GCC railway plan in the kingdom.
According to him, Bahrain is commitment to the implement of this project and the
specialized authorities started putting work plan and time table. The ministry of works is
studying two proposed routes for the GCC railway to provide report about the results. And
he assured that this GCC railway will benefit Bahrain's economy.
Figure 2 GCC railway route
References:

Websites:
Agency, B. (2013). Gcc railwa'ys itinerary discussed . Retrieved from
http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/587884
Applegate, S. (2013). Omani rail network. Retrieved from
http://www.menarailnews.com/omani-rail-network-seen-alternative-shippingstraits-hormuz/
Arabia, T. (2012). Bahrain bus company plans expansion. Retrieved from
http://www.tradearabia.com/news/IND_220196.html
Authority, A. (n.d.). About metro. Retrieved from http://abu-dhabi-metro.com/aboutabu-dhabi-metro
Company, K. (n.d.). Public transport services. Retrieved from
http://www.kptc.com.kw/newenglish/
Company, K. (n.d.). Kuwait metro system, kuwait city, kuwait. Retrieved from
http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/kuwaitmetrosystem/
Mohammed, O. (2012). Public transportation in qatar: Driving people crazy.
Retrieved from http://www.dohastories.org/?p=106
Nations, I. (n.d.). Transportation in oman. Retrieved from
http://www.internations.org/oman-expats/guide/living-in-oman15747/transportation-in-oman-3
Organization, S. (n.d.). Sadui railway. Retrieved from
http://www.saudirailways.org/portal/page/portal/PRTS/root
Road.&,Transport.Authourity. (n.d.). Transport services. Retrieved from www.rta.ae
Road.&,Transport.Authourity. (n.d.). Dubai metro. Retrieved from
http://dubaimetro.eu/
Salama, S. (2013). Gcc rail network to link all 6 gulf states by 2018. Retrieved from
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/traffic-transport/gcc-rail-network-to-linkall-6-gulf-states-by-2018-1.1248632
Saptco.Company. (n.d.). Integrated transportation solution. Retrieved from
http://www.saptco.com.sa/mainsite/home.aspx?lang=en-US
Travel, H. (n.d.). International transport. Retrieved from
http://www.hoteltravel.com/oman/guides/transport.htm

Pictures:
Figure1: Map showing the routes of the future plan of railway network in Saudi Arabia.
Retrieved from http://sar.com.sa/Default.aspx?tabid=63&language=en-GB
Figure2: GCC railway route. Retrieved from
http://www.constructionweekonline.com/pictures/3_GCC_Railway_map.jpg