RIYADH: The Riyadh Metro has been buzzing with passengers ever since its launch in December, reaching its full operational capacity with the inauguration of the Orange Line earlier this month and marking a grand milestone for the capital’s urbanization strategy.
Arab News got a look inside the Riyadh Public Transport Control Center, located west of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
The center hosts 600 employees who oversee the management of three vital parts of the transportation system: the Riyadh Metro, Riyadh Bus, and the advanced traffic control system.
So how does the center contribute to improving everyday users’ experiences?
A spokesperson said that the center received more than 10,000 calls daily via the unified network number (19933), which is designated for inquiries, complaints, suggestions, and calls about missing items.
Operators are in constant communication with the people of Riyadh who use public transport, and they work to keep the system running smoothly.
Safety is a priority for the Transport General Authority. All of the city’s public transport systems are monitored 24/7 through more than 14,000 security cameras that are distributed across the network.
These cameras are equipped with facial recognition technologies which monitor and analyze the use of public transport and inform the authorities immediately in case of any incidents.
In the event that a commuter loses any personal property, the user must contact the Riyadh Public Transport Control Center through the unified number, and a special complaint ticket will be issued and sent via email or text.
They can use the number to follow up on any updates regarding the complaint until the lost item is retrieved.
Planning for the metro system began back in 2012, and aimed at enhancing mobility and providing comfort for users, residents, and visitors of Riyadh.
The Riyadh Metro includes 85 stations and extends a distance of 176 km across six tracks.
Riyadh’s bus network consists of 87 routes across the city using 842 vehicles with some 3,000 service stations.
The traffic control system also oversees 650 road intersections, monitoring and managing the flow of traffic.
The Riyadh Bus system has transported 50 million passengers in the last year.
