A partnership agreement to provide public transport services in the Greater Amman area

A strategic partnership agreement was signed between the Municipality of Greater Amman, the Investment Unit of the Social Security Corporation, the Integrated Company for Transport and Amwal invest to provide public transport services in the Greater Amman area and on routes that link the capital with other governorates.

Engineer Omar Maani signed the agreement on behalf of the municipality, George Abu Khader on behalf of the Integrated Company and Mufleh Aqel, the commission president of the Investment Unit. Henry Azzam signed on behalf of Amwal Invest. The Integrated Company, in alliance with the municipality, the Investment Unit and Amwal invest, had won a tender to routes in Greater Amman in addition to other routes that it operated previously.

This strategic partnership to invest in passenger transport sector aims at changing the prevailing concept about this sector by following modern ways of providing the services in terms of quality of buses and timely control so that people can depend on it always.

Furthermore, the partnership seeks to enhance the public's dependence on public transport in a way similar to the experience in advanced countries so as to reduce expenditures and fuel consumption in addition to preserving the environment and achieving a balance in public transport sector.

Other advantages can be seen in the provision of a wider base for participation and the continued coordination in organizing routes, solving traffic jams and making special lanes for public transport.

Mufleh Aqel, the commission president of the investment Unit, said the ownership structure brings together parties than can ensure the elements of success to the company, especially the basic role that the municipality will play by facilitating the traffic on the roads.

The alliance will operate about 70 per cent of the public transport buses in the capital on the bases of quality services and will open the door for a quality leap in the type of transport by bringing in 118 new Mercedes buses to operate on gas by midyear, seven of per cent of which are designed for people with special needs. The new vehicles will be in addition to 350 other buses with modern specifications that were originally owned by three companies which merged into the Integrated Company.