Need for public bus transportation in A'Sharqiyah Governorate of Oman: the community's perception

Abstract

The means of public transportation in A'Sharqiyah governorate of Oman are minimal and mostly based on private taxis. The development of a public transport system (specifically buses) can contribute significantly to solving many of the social problems of the region like traffic accidents, congestion and pollution. The current research evaluates the community's perception regarding the need for, and the benefits of a public bus service system in A'Sharqiyah governorate (north and south) of Oman. Furthermore, it determines the major expectations of the community concerning the potential bus transport system in the region. Four hundred and eighty nine residents of A'Sharqiyah region participated in the survey from all the cities of governorate. The results identified the high public demand for the bus service in the region. The findings also provide detailed account on the expectations of the residents regarding the bus service. The study has implications for practitioners as well as concerned public authorities.