ITC launches ‘Bus on Demand’ service at Khalifa City in Abu Dhabi

Bus on Demand

The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) in Abu Dhabi announced the launch of the Bus on Demand service “Abu Dhabi Link” at Khalifa City starting from Monday, 24th April, to enrich the experience of public transport users, and to facilitate the use of public buses.

This move is aimed at facilitating the mobility of residents, diversify mobility options, enhance the convenience of public transport users and make mass transport services more accessible to the needs of the public.

The ITC stated that the Bus on Demand service at Khalifa C

ity will operate from 06:00 to 23:00 throughout the week, and will be distributed across different areas in Khalifa City. The Hafilat Smart Card can be used to pay the fare through an automated payment system available on the buses. The system calculates and deducts the value of the trip from the balance of the pre-paid electronic card that can be recharged and refilled.

The idea of the Bus on Demand service is to provide transportation on-demand for society members that enables them to travel within a specific area and transport them from different locations to the nearest station, or to a public transport facility or to any other destination they need to go to within the area where the bus operates. The service represents one of the transportation methods based on the principle of the first and last mile, which involves operating minibuses on-demand through a smart application within specific areas of the emirate. It encourages visitors and residents of these areas to use public transportation for their internal transport, as it reduces the walking distance and waiting time.

The service can be availed in a convenient and fast way through the "Abu Dhabi Link" smart application that can be downloaded through Apple Store and Google Play on smartphones and other smart devices. After the app is downloaded, the passenger may follow the following steps: specify the passenger's location and the target destination before making the booking, and then follow the route specified in the application to reach the location of the bus, which will be at the nearest possible point from the passenger. The bus type and plate number will also appear on the app which will allow the passenger to track the bus route and travel times, from the time of request until it reaches the target destination.

The expansion of the Bus on Demand service to Khalifa City follows the astounding success and positive feedback from the public since it was first launched at Al Shahama City in the late 2020, and in its introduction to Yas and Saadiyat Islands, where the total number of passenger trips who benefited from the service since its launch until today mounts up to a total of 587,000 passenger trips. The number of individuals who downloaded the Abu Dhabi Link application reached more than 51,300 people. These efforts are in line with the ITC’s relentless efforts that aim towards reinforcing the mass transport network, facilitate individual transport, provide innovative and smart services in a convenient way that is in line with their needs and expectations, in a way that enables individuals to reach their destination in a safe and convenient manner.

The ITC explained that the Bus on Demand service enhances the public bus transport network and supports the ITC’s efforts to expand its services, diversify transportation options and bring public bus services closer to the homes and places frequented by society members. The new service is expected to witness an extensive turn-out by residents and visitors in Khalifa City, especially when transporting between residential neighbourhoods, service facilities, and main areas of the city.