Residents and activists in Ajloun governorate say they hope a newly launched pilot smart transit system will end their struggle to reach key destinations in Amman that they visit frequently. They argue that extending the pilot to route some buses from the Kafranjeh city terminal would further improve service and ease travel for residents of Kafranjeh district.
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They also called for strengthening internal routes connecting the governorate's villages to the Ajloun terminal and increasing their frequency by using smaller buses, which they say would reduce reliance on costly private transport and help the smart transit pilot succeed by growing its passenger base.
Bus drivers and owners in the governorate, meanwhile, are calling for terminals to be equipped with basic facilities, particularly shelters, along with an end to shopkeepers and street vendors encroaching on sidewalks and a ban on private vehicles competing with them for passengers.
Mohammad Rashaydeh, a resident, said equipping Ajloun with modern transit that runs regularly to essential destinations would ease the burden on employees working in Amman and those visiting ministries and government departments there, sparing them the high costs of using their own cars or private transport. He called for some of these buses to depart from the Kafranjeh city terminal.
Activist Mohammad al-Fawaz said these modern buses, with their fast and regular scheduled frequency, would significantly ease the challenges facing public transport in Ajloun governorate.He called on relevant authorities to find solutions such as creating new routes for neighborhoods and residential communities, modernizing and reinforcing transit on many existing routes, licensing smaller 10-seat buses to increase frequency, resolving the problem of street vendors at the Ajloun terminal, and activating the Kafranjeh bus terminal.
Al-Fawaz said he hopes the Land Transport Regulatory Commission's plans, under its comprehensive master plan, will help resolve many issues related to the governorate's internal and external transport by precisely identifying surpluses, shortfalls and needs across various routes. He praised the commission's recent move to add several new routes in areas in urgent need of public transit.
Smaller Buses
Activist Amer al-Momani said providing modern transit, particularly if combined with reducing medium bus capacity from 23 to 10 seats, would cut operating costs and speed up round-trip frequency on internal routes while curbing competition from private vehicles operating on both internal and external routes.
He noted that most towns, villages and residential communities in Ajloun governorate still suffer from a shortage of internal transit, or lack it entirely in some communities, a gap that has worsened reliance on unlicensed private taxis used by university students and employees.
Resident Mahmoud al-Sharideh said the commission's move to create new transit routes is a step in the right direction. He pointed to several studies and recommendations submitted to the transport authority more than once in past years, calling for the licensing of smaller-capacity public buses across multiple areas of the governorate.
Communities including Umm al-Yanabee, al-Tayyara, Dahous, Rajib, Awsara, Thaghrat Zubaid, Hay Nimr, al-Talibiyeh, the Effat Families housing project in Ein Janna, Sakhra and Anjara suffer most acutely from the lack of transit, he said.
The transport sector's challenges in the governorate include unlicensed private vehicles operating for a fare due to the shortage of public transit, underused departure and arrival terminals, and street vendors encroaching on terminal space, as seen in Ajloun and Kafranjeh. A shortage of public transit vehicles persists across all routes as well, the result of service not being reinforced to keep pace with population growth.
Sources within the governorate police said all routes in the governorate are being monitored through fixed patrols and traffic officers, who track violators among both public buses operating in the area and private vehicles working as unlicensed taxis. Numerous citations have been issued against violators, the sources said.
Amani Muqdadi, director of the Land Transport Regulatory Commission's Ajloun office, said the commission has created three new transit routes within the governorate to make things easier for residents and strengthen public transport services.
Muqdadi explained that the new routes include Ajloun-Castle-Cable Car, a service line within the town of Anjara, and an Awsara-Ajloun route, noting that these lines were created to serve areas previously without transit service. She added that a study is underway for a new Arjan-Ba'oun-Irbid route, and that approval was granted earlier for two buses with capacities of 10 to 30 passengers to operate on the Awsara-Ajloun line.
Upgrading the Transit System
Ajloun governorate has 43 transit routes in total, 19 external and 24 internal, served by 131 medium buses along with seven yellow taxi offices.
Pilot operations for a scheduled public transit line between Amman and Ajloun launched last Sunday as part of the second phase of a project to develop public transport between governorates, with participation from relevant local authorities.
Riyad al-Kharabsheh, director general of the Land Transport Regulatory Commission, said at the launch event that the pilot represents an important step in upgrading Ajloun's public transport system by offering regular, safe transit options that ease movement between the governorate and the capital, with positive effects on the local transport sector and the quality of services provided to residents.
Al-Kharabsheh explained that the project is part of the commission's broader effort to develop public transport services and raise their efficiency by providing modern vehicles equipped with smart systems that enhance safety, comfort and traffic organization. He pointed to the importance of partnering with local authorities to ensure the project's success.
He added that the commission will continuously monitor the line's performance throughout the pilot period, including ridership numbers and demand for the service, while tracking feedback from residents, line operators and local authorities and working to address it, along with resolving any challenges that arise during this first phase.
Al-Kharabsheh said the pilot offers a practical opportunity to evaluate the service on the ground and identify passenger needs, the most in-demand routes and peak travel times, allowing the commission to make necessary improvements before moving to full operation.
Dr. Abla al-Wishah, spokesperson for the Land Transport Regulatory Commission and director of its communications and media unit, said the line includes three main routes on working days. The first runs from the Ajloun terminal to the North terminal via Jordan Street, with 54 daily trips.
The second passes through Sweileh and the University of Jordan to University Hospital, with 44 daily trips. The third runs from Ajloun to King Hussein Medical City via Sweileh, with eight daily trips.
Al-Wishah said the service runs on a regular schedule, with a trip every 15 minutes on working days from 5:15 a.m. to 8:15 p.m., and every 30 minutes on holidays from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The fare is 1.5 dinars, and the commission is providing 2,000 free ride cards to passengers.
Al-Wishah noted that the buses operating on the line are equipped with electronic payment and tracking systems, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, and free Wi-Fi, features that enhance security and safety, improve operational efficiency and provide a more comfortable and reliable transit experience for residents.
