People’s Perception of Public Transport Services in Oman

Abstract

The role of public transport services is crucial in ensuring mobility. The Sultanate of Oman has shown a remarkable growth in the last three decades in almost all areas except in the development of public transport infrastructure and services. Currently, Public transportation is a pressing concern for Oman and is attracting much attention, especially in light of increasing traffic congestion and safety concerns. This research followed a public needs assessment and opinion survey approach and covered 2000 respondents in the Al Batinah region of Oman. A quantitative analysis was initially performed using the SPSS, which was later followed by a qualitative analysis. The specific objectives were to conduct a socio-economic feasibility analysis towards the establishment of an effective public transport system in Oman and to study residents’ requirements, sharing habits, traveling behaviors, expenditure and expectations towards public transport in Oman. The study concludes that public transportation in Oman is still in its infancy, and the introduction of a public transport system has taken an unusually long time. People realize the need for a better system, but their knowledge of different transport modes and their use is very limited. People’s attitudes towards using public transport are positive; however, they much prefer to use their own cars. The nearest substitute to the personal car is the taxi, which largely fulfills the role of public transport, barring very few bus lines. On the socio-economic front, this study does not find any major obstacles to the adoption and use of public transportation in Oman.