The Department of Transport (DoT) has announced the launch of Express bus services in four routes as well as four new routes to improve connectivity in the city of Abu Dhabi and its suburbs.
The department has also launched the second phase of the 'Hail and Ride' service in Khalifa City. It is a free minibus service, which was introduced earlier this year in Mussafah to transport travellers from different places to the main bus stations within specific routes.
Ahmed Ateeq Al Mazrouei, advisor to the chairman of the DoT and head of buses and water ferries team, said the Express bus service, which has limited stops, will be implemented in the areas with high density, and hence will result in reducing travel time by 30 per cent and the number of stops by 50 per cent.
The new Express bus service includes X2 and X3 services from Al Khalidiya to Al Maqta, and X4 and X5 services from Al Zahiya to Al Maqta.
The four new routes will cover service 74 from Al Reem North to Al Rowdha, service 71 from Al Reem North to Marina, service 26 from Marina to Khalifa Park, and service 20 from Marina to Al Rowdha. A special logo under the theme 'Experience the Change' has been created for the service to help the commuters distinguish the Express bus service.
These new services came as part of the DoT's effort to improve connectivity among different areas in Abu Dhabi, which resulted significantly in reducing the travel time between stations in the same routes during peak hours, leading to an improved traffic movement and public road safety, the department said in a statement.
Three new services are added and changes are made in existing airport bus services to provide cost-effective travel for both residents and visitors. These services which connect the passengers to the Abu Dhabi International Airport are: (A1) service from Al Zahiya passenger terminal, (A2) service from Al Dana Khalifa street, (A10) service from Dalma Mall in Mussafah, (A20) service from Al Shahama, and (A40) service from Al Wathba. All of these services lead to Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Mazrouei said the initiative of 'Hail and Ride' phase 1, which was launched as a free experiment earlier this year in Mussafah, has now been complemented by the launch of the second phase in Khalifa City. It provides five services that operate from 5am to 10pm, with one hour trip interval, which totals to 18 passenger trips per day.
This service transports travellers from different places to feed and connect the main station hubs within specific routes and aims to provide the public with ease and comfort which has significantly increased their satisfaction with the public transport.
He also said that the ongoing initiatives and improvements resulted in an increase in the public transport users in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The total number of passenger trips from January to October 2018 reached 53.6 million compared to 42.6 million in 2017, an increase of 26 per cent which is considered as a strong and positive indicator of public transport usage.
The new initiatives will also contribute to the success of the strategy of the DoT and Abu Dhabi to reduce traffic, increase safety, reduce pollution, and achieve the targeted performance indicator in these areas.
Express services
>X2 and X3 services from Al Khalidiya to Al Maqta
>X4 and X5 services from Al Zahiya to Al Maqta
Four new routes
>Service 74 from Al Reem North to Al Rowdha
>Service 71 from Al Reem North to Marina
>Service 26 from Marina to Khalifa Park
>Service 20 from Marina to Al Rowdha
Airport services
>A1 from Al Zahiya passenger terminal
>A2 service from Al Dana Khalifa street
>A10 from Dalma Mall in Mussafah
>A20 from Al Shahama
>A40 service from Al Wathba
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