For a service that did not exist before 2007, Abu Dhabi’s bus system now offers 124 routes connecting all parts of the emirate. But while creating this network is a massive achievement that helped ease the pressure on the capital’s congested streets, we will only succeed in convincing drivers to leave their cars at home if this rate of improvement continues at the same rate.
The rapid expansion has inevitably involved teething problems, including the persistent issue of bus shelters filled with rubbish and where the air conditioning doesn’t work. Few people will be tempted to switch to public transport if they know that throughout the warmer months, they will arrive at their destination soaked in sweat and smelling of refuse.
Other difficulties include passengers struggling to adjust to the new Hafilat system, designed to provide a faster and coinless method of paying their fares; overcrowded peak-hour buses leaving passengers squeezed together; and the absence of dedicated bus lanes in the most congested sections of downtown Abu Dhabi, meaning buses take the same amount of time to navigate traffic snarls as private cars but without the same level of comfort.
The Department of Transport has recognised these shortcomings and this week vowed to address them, with details of the five-year plan being released next month. Those who remember Abu Dhabi when the only form of public transport was the fleet of white and gold taxis will know that the bus service has helped avert far worse gridlock in downtown streets. The more comfortable and functional the bus service becomes, the more viable an alternative it will be to driving and the fewer private cars will ply the streets of the capital, making them more free-flowing for essential traffic such as emergency vehicles and delivery trucks.
Such is the dominance of private cars in UAE society, the bus service will have to offer something special to entice drivers to leave their cars at home. But with every driver who opts for public transport making the roads a little bit clearer, it is an investment worth making for the capital’s future.
