Experts Of MENA Transport Congress Review Role Of Data In Improving Public Transit Means

Experts taking part in the 3rd MENA Transport Congress & Exhibition stated that public transport mobility and management was still facing challenges in cities and areas which were not privileged with the highest development opportunities. And accordingly, such cities were lacking in technologies of compiling and using data and digital information.

Conceptions linked to public transport were dominant in the final session of Day 2 of the Congress, which was chaired by Richard PROBST, Deputy Resident Director and Coordinator of Regional Programs, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Amman, Jordan, in addition to four experts from Belgium, South Africa, Egypt and Jordan.

Devin DE VRIES CEO, WhereIsMyTransport,, South Africa said, “Unofficially operated transport provides up to 80 percent of all public transport in emerging cities that have little or no information about operations. Digital information has become crucial to developing inter-city & city transport services. Providing and using data in transport operations contributes significantly to improving operations, city planning and providing high-level services to the public.”

Hazem ZUREIQAT Founder, Maan Nassel, Amman, Jordan, presented a paper about the maps and improvements in the public transport system in Jordan, saying “The annual increase rate in the number of public transport vehicles is 6.6%, with 146 vehicles per 1000 of the population. The lack of information, non-documentation of trips and poor pedestrian infrastructure hamper public transport development.

“Traffic congestion costs up to USD1.5 billion annually, while and 47% of energy costs go to transport. Therefore developing public transport systems has become a necessity to ensure easy transport for all community members.”

Zureiqat gave an overview about ” Maan Nassel Company,” which was founded in 2014 to support perceptions and ideas relating to public transport and render it a national priority in Jordan by raising awareness, preparing research and developing solutions.

Mohamed HEGAZY Director, Transport for Cairo (TfC), Cairo, Egypt, reviewed the large public transport networks in Cairo (Megacity), highlighting the improvement in the public transport network and its role in reducing environmental pollution, which is high in large cities such as Cairo.