File picture used for representation only.
Qatar is fast moving towards introducing a unified public transport ticketing and fare system to provide better services for all users of public transport including metro, buses and taxis.
Rashid Taleb Al Nabet, Assistant Undersecretary of Land Transport at the Ministry of Transport and Communications, said yesterday that the Ministry has been working on the unified system in collaboration with key partners and would utilise all advanced technologies.
"This would encourage people to use public transport services and thus lower their dependence on private cars, something that eventually would help preserve the environment and reduce the pressure on transport infrastructure," Al Nabet said.
He was addressing a workshop for companies participating in the Integrated Public Transport Ticketing & Fare Collection System tender. The companies were updated on the tender documents and all other relevant requirements.
The new system consists of several components, including ticketing, issuance devices, monitoring systems and the central clearing system, and here arise the roles and responsibilities of the operating company, which will manage the new system under supervision of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
The public will be able to use the new system easily in all public transport mediums such as the metro, the Lusail Light Rail Transit and the Long Distance Passenger and Freight, buses, maritime transport and taxis, the ministry said yesterday.
The new system will contribute to improving road safety, mobility and convenience for commuters, reducing energy consumption for cleaner environment and boosting economic productivity.
“Transport sector is the key element in economic, social and industrial development for all countries around the world. And based on that the Ministry of Transport and Communications is working in full swing to develop an effective mobility system that contributes to achieving economic growth and the strategic goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030,” said Al Nabet, in his opening remarks.
