Makkah Region Development Authority has announced that the implementation of public transport projects in Makkah in cooperation and coordination with the Royal Commission for Makkah and Holy Sites is proceeding according to the planned schedule, pointing out that the first phase of the project is currently being implemented over several contracts, including what Japanese NEC Corporation announced on the introduction of an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) for buses and transport companies to serve pilgrims and Umrah performers. The Authority added that the Japanese company will introduce the smart system to transportation systems in 2020 for more than 400 buses, as the number will rise to 2,000 buses during the next five years. The public bus network in Makkah consists of twelve routes covering most areas of the city with 400 buses for the first phase. The buses contain an automated fare collection system, which utilizes IC cards to enable cashless, accurate and reliable fare collection for millions of travelers, as well as a bus location management system, which uses GPS to monitor the location of buses in real time, thereby supporting the successful implementation of scheduled operations. Moreover, bus information is provided to passengers through solar powered displays installed at bus stops and mobile applications. All of these systems are connected to the control center, as well as to the four main stations in the central area and the approximately 450 stops on all routes.
