TGA signs concession contracts for intercity bus transport

Logo of Transport General Authority (TGA)

Transport General Authority (TGA) signed today, Feb. 15, concession contracts for intercity bus transport in the Kingdom.

The contracts include signing the Southern concession contract with Saudi Public Transport Co. (SAPTCO), while the Northern and the Northwest concession contracts were concluded with other companies.

The contracts came to serve more than six million bus passengers annually in 200 cities and governorates across the Kingdom through 76 routes. This will provide more than 35,000 direct and indirect jobs, in addition to adding SAR 3.2 billion to the Saudi GDP, TGA tweeted.

The authority also pointed out that the project aims to provide multiple transport services, facilitate intercity commuting, reduce carbon emissions, raise the level of safety and reduce traffic congestion.

Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh Al-Jasser said that structuring these contracts was very complex and would enhance competition in the transport sector.

He added that the project will pave the way for future foreign investment and will support several other sectors.

Meanwhile, Rumaih Al-Rumaih, TGA’s Acting Chairman, noted that Saudi cities are witnessing development in terms of public transport.

He explained that public transport services have either kicked off or will start this year in 11 Saudi cities, noting that each year more cities will be served, in line with the objectives of the National Transport Strategy to raise the public transport contribution from the current 1% to 15% by 2030.