Bahrain to get new public buses

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The public transport operator in Bahrain plans to upgrade its fleet of buses following the renewal of its operating franchise by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, sources confirmed to The Daily Tribune.

According to sources, the Ministry recently renewed the public transport contract in Bahrain for an additional five years after the previous contract, which lasted approximately one year, came to an end.

Decision

The decision to renew for only five years, rather than the anticipated ten, is due to the pending finalisation of the Bahrain Metro project, which is considered an important infrastructure initiative that may lead to changes in routes or the operational framework of public transportation services to ensure integration with the future metro system.

In line with this development, the public transport operator, a Bahraini-British partnership between the British company National Express and Ahmed Mansoor Al Aali (AMA), will also undertake upgrades to its existing fleet.

The company currently operates over 140 buses of various sizes, including smaller buses manufactured by the British company Optare and medium to large buses produced by the German company MAN.

Routes

These buses serve 26 routes across different regions of the Kingdom.

Since the launch of the new service in 2015, the buses have transported approximately 100 million passengers, according to data released by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

This upcoming fleet upgrade will enhance the quality and efficiency of public transportation, aligning with the Kingdom’s broader infrastructure goals.