UAE: Abu Dhabi residents hail expansion of bus services

Abu Dhabi residents have hailed the expansion of express bus services to new areas of the emirate, stressing that it will help reduce waiting time and ease transport.

The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) announced the launch of the "Abu Dhabi Express" bus service in new areas of Abu Dhabi emirate to handle the ever-increasing passenger demand for the service since its launch in March 2022.

The project's first phase included 38 buses from the private sector, which moved more than 70,000 passengers throughout 14,500 trips since its launch.

The ITC announced that it had implemented Phase II from June 30, 2022, by expanding the scope of the service. It added a new route between Abu Dhabi city to the taxi station in Baniyas, and Al Mafraq Workers City to Abu Dhabi city, in addition to routes between Abu Dhabi and Al Mirfa City and Zayed City, in the Al Dhafra region. The Lifeline Hospital bus stop in Abu Dhabi city has also been added to the network.

"This is a great move as it would help improve transport. We have been spending a long time waiting for buses to travel to the city," said Ugandan expat Abdul Salam Kabuye, who lives in Al Mafraq Workers city.

"During weekends, sometimes you could spend an hour in a queue waiting for a bus as many workers travel to the city and the buses are few."

Bangladeshi worker Sayed Ali, who resides in Baniyas, said he was happy with the additional routes for the express bus service.

"I always travel to Baniyas every weekend to see my brother who stays and works there. But sometimes I have been facing the problem of waiting for the bus for a long time," said Ali. "But with the new route for express bus service in the area, it would solve transport woes for many residents."

Another resident, Mohammed Shadab, an Indian national who stays and works in Al Dhafra, says he travels to the city every weekend but sometimes skips out because of the limited bus services.

"I am happy that the express bus service has been extended to our area. It will help reduce the waiting time and ease transport for many of us," he said.

The service expansion is due to the cooperation between the ITC and several private sector companies based on the former's role in regulating public transport operations across the emirate. It enables diversification of services, providing faster transport options on public buses, facilitating community mobility and allowing passengers to reach their destinations in comfort and in the shortest time. Furthermore, the service is meant to reinforce the public bus transport network in increasing its capacity, diversifying transport options for different segments of society, and achieving integration between various bus transport methods.

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The service operates on the new routes seven days a week with a time schedule that depends on the volume of demand to meet the needs of passengers seeking to benefit from the service. Abu Dhabi Express buses are direct, non-stop services, making their routes the fastest way to travel quickly, comfortably and safely.

To enhance the aesthetic appearance of bus stations and add new artistic features, the ITC also announced that it had re-styled the minibus station adjacent to Abu Dhabi's main bus terminal, which was previously the taxi station, with artwork and beautiful colours.

Meanwhile, the ITC confirmed that the improvements to the public bus transport network align with its efforts to enhance the interconnection between bus network routes.

• Abu Dhabi