Mwasalat plans 100% solar air conditioned bus stand in Oman
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Mwasalat is planning to introduce the world’s first fully solar powered air conditioned bus station, according to the company’s CEO, Ahmad bin Ali Al Bulushi.
The country’s national transport organisation has currently signed agreements to build and operate 100 per cent solar-powered A/C bus stations and stops, as confirmed by Al Bulushi.
“We are going to introduce the first 100 per cent solar bus station,” he told Times of Oman. “It’s 100 per cent solar so we will be the first in the Middle East, if not in the world.” We did research which showed that there is nothing in the world that can be called an air-conditioned bus stop that is 100 per cent solar. So (this) will be the first.”
The solar powered bus stop will be opened in the Muscat Governorate. Additionally, the transport company will be bringing new technology to Oman by the middle of 2019.
Al Bulushi added, “We will have the first Intelligent Transport System (ITS) full solution available from mid-2019.”
“This system will consist of a passenger information system, vehicle information system, application for passengers, e-ticketing, packages monthly or weekly, tracking or monitoring a bus or coach,” he added. “So everything related to technology; we will go far beyond what people are doing now.”
He was speaking on the sidelines of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) World Congress, currently being held in the Sultanate, which is hosting over 1,000 representatives from across the world as they discuss the changing trends in transport, logistics and trade, a key feature in the country’s non-oil future.
At the summit, a special session organised in partnership with Mwasalat brought together leading international figures to examine major challenges facing passenger transport operators today and discuss solutions for tomorrow. “We have initiated a number of innovations such as smart ticketing, passenger information systems, and automated vehicle management systems,” said Al Bulushi.