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Regional bus services lack basic standards

DUBAI — People travelling by road to countries such as Jordan, Syria and Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and others have a problem — the buses that carry them to these countries do not provide them good service.

They voice a common complaint: the lack of hygiene, and poor standards of these buses that belong to and are operated by companies based in Ajman, Sharjah and Dubai.

Comforts of passengers and the quality of service are last on the list of priorities for these outfits, and to think that it takes at least three days of travel to reach the various destinations, a minimum of 72 hours in cramped conditions where even stretching a leg could be a luxury that no passenger can afford if peace between them was to be kept.

To cap the coach of miseries, drivers and conductors of these buses keep the rear doors of the buses locked and the aisles loaded with parcels of every size, parcels that do not belong to any of the passengers.

"These are parcels that are being sent by people who pay the drivers and conductors money to deliver them to their families in these countries," Bahi Al Tuhami from Syria told the Khaleej Times.

"For them it is easier and less expensive sending home stuff this way. For the drivers and conductors it means extra money. And the more the number of parcels the more the extra money. All this at the expense of the passenger's comfort," he added.

Mahmoud Ameen, another expat who has experienced the discomfort of travelling in such a parcel-laden bus, said because of the parcels and for lack of a toilet in the buses, people travelling with children and infants face a gamut of problems.

"Mothers can't change diapers and young children find the cramped space very discomforted especially when they have to answer to nature's call. The children cannot even stretch their legs during the long journey," he said.

The buses stop every half hour to let passengers and their children use toilets in rest areas along the route but this translates to an extension of journey time, and that means only more misery.

Yet another passenger, Mariam Bayoumi, said hygiene in most of these buses was very poor, and the air-conditioning in many of them did not function to the marks, forcing passengers to keep some of the windows open to let in some air. But this brought in another problem along with the air, a regular intake of dirt and dust. "By the time the passengers arrive at their destinations, they appear to have risen from their graves. The authorities have to do something about this, like deploying inspectors to check the buses before they start on their journey,” she said.

An official from the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) said that the DTCM gave a high priority to efficient transport systems for tourists, and that it was in the process of developing a sound regulatory framework, which would facilitate operations to meet with the requirements of these tourists.

He said that the DTCM had made it mandatory for international transport providers to ensure that bus transport operators were fit to compete in the modern market place. There are open, fair and transparent rules for the establishment of transport companies. Operating licences are allocated on equal terms to both nationals and foreigners and the DTCM is introducing stringent rules for accessing the profession to ensure the highest safety standards and quality of service, he told the Khaleej Times.

The official said that international transport companies were obliged to provide a high quality, safe, reliable, efficient and environment-friendly collective passenger transport system to help the travel and tourism industry to seize the new avenues of opportunities unfolding in Dubai.

“The increased contribution of travel by bus and taxi, in particular to tourism and society, can only be realised if professionals and business organisations work together with governments, civil society, other modes of transport and other industry sectors,” the official commented.

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