DOHA: To promote the culture of public transport in Qatar, Mowasalat has launched a free shuttle bus service in the Industrial area, mainly targeting low-income expatriate workers.
The “Hail and ride free hop on hop off shuttle buses service,” was officially launched at a ceremony at Mowasalat headquarters in Industrial Area on Thursday.
“This is similar to the West Bay shuttle bus service. We had a soft launch earlier and the service has gained popularity in a few days.
“We have about 1,000 passengers daily and the number is expected to increase when more people come to know about the service,” said an official on the sidelines of the ceremony.
“We have prepared a plan to popularise the service through print and social media and by circulating brochures among the public, with details about the service,” he added.
Anyone driving or commuting towards the Industrial Area can use the service free from the two bus hubs in Street No. 1 and Street No. 52 through bus stops at the entrances of the Industrial Area.
It is easy to identify the buses by the sticker on the side “indicating free shuttle bus”. There are no designated bus stops for the bus. One can hail it to stop and board at any convenient location.
A colour code visible in front of the bus will indicate to where it will connect the passenger. The five routes are: Route 16 (pink), 61 (blue), 18 (orange), 81 (red) and 88 (green).
Buses in the first four routes are plying at a frequency of 30 minutes while Route 88 operates at 15-minute frequency, said Mowasalat.
The service, operated through 13 buses, is available from 4am to midnight.
Khalid Nasser Al Hail, CEO, Mowasalat, said the service has come as part of Mowasalat’s plan to promote the mass transport culture by providing first class services to various segments of society. The new service mainly caters to people falling in the limited income bracket, he added.
The service has been introduced after studies made of the area in terms of population and the need for such services to minimise the waiting time at the main bus stops, said Khalid Kafoud, Public Relations Manager, Mowasalat.
The service will also help reduce traffic congestions in the Industrial Area, he added.
People can know their routes through brochures available at the buses, Karwa smartcard merchants, central bus station, malls in the Industrial Area and some in the city, and outside all major mosques on Friday, said the official.
The Peninsula
