Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) has set Sept. 1 as the date for starting the actual operation of the King Abdulaziz Public Bus Transport Network in the capital city.

The Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) announced that it had received on Wednesday a notification from the Public Transport Company (PTC) in this regard.

SAPTCO said that it is difficult at this stage to determine the costs associated with the launch of the project as the company is coordinating with other related authorities about studying the necessary work plans following which such costs will be specified and announced at an appropriate time.

It is noteworthy that SAPTCO had signed in 2014 a contract with French-based RATP Dev Company to establish PTC with a capital of SR10 million to operate its Riyadh Buses project. SAPTCO owns 80 percent of PTC while the French company owns the remaining 20 percent stake.

The King Abdulaziz Public Transport is one of the largest transportation projects in the region, and it includes the bus transport project and the Riyadh Metro, which will cover most of the densely populated areas, public facilities as well as governmental, educational, commercial and medical institutions in the city.