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29 March 2024

These Dubai buses will stop wherever you want them to stop

Published
By Staff

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has introduced a shuttle microbus called Al Freej, serving residents of remote areas or areas with a high demand.

The bus route is dubbed J01 and starts in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), from where it travels to Al Barsha 1, 2 and 3 and up to the vicinity of Mall of the Emirates in a 12.2 km-long route, serving about 23,000 residents of these three districts of Al Barsha, said Adel Shakri, Director of Planning and Business Development of RTA’s Public Transport Agency.

The Al Freej Buses are 12-17 seaters, the size of a microbus but distinguished with the RTA logo.

“Although stops have been specified along the route, the driver may stop at any place depending on a request of a rider, provided the driver will make sure that the stop will be safe and does not undermine the safety of those on board nor road users or cause accidents,” explained Shakri.

Further, it may divert its route if a need dictates so, such as delivering elderly or disabled persons, he added.

The service proved highly popular as an efficient transport link was in high demand in certain communities in Dubai.

The service was introduced with the aim of providing mobility service to families, seniors, handicapped and housewives by lifting them from their homes to business centers, clinics, health centers, schools, recreational facilities and government offices offering a wide range of public services among others, explained the RTA.

Since it was launched in July this year, it lifted more than 50,000 riders with a daily ridership increased from 428 riders at the start of operation to as many as 765 riders three months later, recording a 79 per cent growth rate.

“The fare is payable through NOL cards [as is] standard practice in the emirate,” added Shakri.

Al Freej Bus will travel through Al Barsha 1, and pass across a number of recreational & tourist destinations such as Mall of the Emirates, Matajer, 3- to 5-star hotels, hotel apartments, restaurants, schools, and residential buildings.

At Al Barsha 2 & 3, Al Freej Bus passes by a series of residential villas mostly inhabited by Emiratis and GCC citizens, which are currently witnessing further developments including schools, hospitals, retail outlets and others,” he further added.

It is noteworthy that Al Barsha is served by several bus routes including Routes 84, 93, F29, F30, and F33, rendering Al Freej Bus a high value addition to the safe & smooth mobility aboard public buses and Dubai Metro.