AMMAN — The Aqaba Special Economic Zone
Authority (ASEZA) has unveiled a comprehensive plan to procure 20 electric
buses in early 2025, aimed at addressing transportation needs in Aqaba while
meeting the aspirations of its residents for advanced and sustainable services,
Al-Ghad reported.
اضافة اعلان
The authority noted that the plan enhances the
public transportation fleet in Aqaba. Additionally, these buses have the
capacity to serve people with special needs in mobility as they are equipped
with the necessary facilities for their transportation. Electric buses
contribute to reducing car emissions, decreasing air pollution, and achieving
significant energy savings, thus enhancing the quality of sustainable life in
Aqaba as it gradually enters the ‘green economy’.
Jordan's interest in efforts to transition
towards the ‘green economy’ and reducing carbon emissions in many industrial
facilities has been increasing. This interest has extended to buses after
several years of the Ministry of Environment's establishment of the necessary
legislative and enabling environment to support this transition, in addition to
establishing a specialized unit in the field of the green economy, and
developing policies and executive plans, including the National Green Growth
Plan (NGGP) for 2021 – 2025.
Deputy Chief Commissioner of ASEZA and
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aqaba Transport and Logistics Services
Company, Hamzeh Al-Hajj Hassan emphasized that the project to develop and
modernize the transportation system in Aqaba is a top priority for the
authority. It aligns with their advanced vision to empower and support all
active and influential sectors in the renaissance and progress of Aqaba. The
transportation system is particularly crucial as it serves as a fundamental
pillar for comprehensive and sustainable development, aiming to position Aqaba
among advanced and smart cities in terms of transportation.
Hassan noted that the project aims to support
the introduction of electric buses for the first time in the coastal city of
Aqaba to contribute to the expansion of electric mobility in the Kingdom, in
addition to providing new buses with better quality, higher reliability,
greater accessibility, efficiency, and safety. The project also seeks to
provide a fare collection service through new ticketing systems to make
services more attractive to passengers.
Additionally, Hassan announced the launch of
an electronic payment project on all company-owned buses, totaling 24 buses
operating across 11 routes in Aqaba. Under the slogan "Don't Pay Cash and
Ride for Free" during Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr, he confirmed that the
company has designated five locations for recharging and selling electronic
payment cards. This aims to facilitate their use by Aqaba residents and
visitors, enabling them to use pre-paid smart cards for travel on the company’s
buses. Furthermore, he mentioned that the company currently owns 80 percent of
the transport lines in Aqaba, with efforts underway to acquire the remaining
private transport lines after reaching agreements with the owners.
Chief Executive Officer of Aqaba Transport and
Logistics Services Company, Khaled Morsi Abu Abdullah highlighted that the
modern transportation strategy in Aqaba relies on developing and updating smart
transportation and payment services, along with mobile applications aligned
with Aqaba's status as a tourist and investment destination. He explained that
the company has contributed to the development and updating of public
transportation in Aqaba through agreements with several companies and
institutions operating in the city to transport their employees and workers.
This effort has been praised by these entities for the level of service,
punctuality, and accuracy of scheduled transportation, in addition to the
nominal prices offered by the company, particularly for university students,
schools, and citizens.
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