ShareBy Mohsina Mohammed
KUWAIT: “A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It is where even the rich use public transportation” -Enrique Penalosa, ex-Mayor of Bogota. Effective public transportation (PT) is crucial for a country’s development. Its numerous benefits include reduced infrastructure costs, positive environmental impact, congestion reduction, time and money savings, increased productivity, economic benefits, fuel efficiency, improved mobility, and an equitable transportation system. In the last few decades, propositions and efforts from government organizations to strengthen Kuwait’s PT have been minimal, and progression remains stagnant.
Since 1978, the government has proposed only two large-scale projects, the Kuwait Metro Rail (2008) and the Gulf Railway Project (2009), which has had little, to no development and is on hold. Studies have shown that metro and rapid transit systems are the most efficient and sustainable means for transporting many people in and around the city. To have a fully operational, functional and future-proof metro, Kuwait needs to solidify the existing foundation that is falling apart due to the inefficiency of public buses.
Amid a PT crisis, Kuwait Commute emerges a social initiative that is bringing awareness to Kuwait’s PT system and current traffic situation. Jassim Al-Awadhi founded the initiative to implement a feasible and executable solution to improve Kuwait’s rapidly escalating traffic issues. They proactively create awareness and advocate for safe, convenient, eco-friendly and inclusive PT to become the preferred choice for daily commutes.
Also, they engage with stakeholders, including the Kuwaiti Municipality Planning Department, the Public Authority for Roads and Transportation, National Assembly members, neighborhood leaders, and business people to help their initiative. By creating awareness and being a medium for clear communication between the people and the government, initiatives like Kuwait Commute are catalysts in developing Kuwait’s public transportation.
A research analysis by the initiative revealed that only 2 percent of the total population uses public transport, making up 15 percent of all transportation in Kuwait. In an interview with Kuwait Times, Awadhi stated, “Public transport in Kuwait is not comfortable, it’s not attractive to use, and it does not provide safety, and that is why no one is using it.”
According to Awadhi, a bus stop is the gateway for people to use public buses, and they need to be accessible, safe, clean, and convenient, which is the basis of their design. The current state of bus stops in Kuwait hinders users from considering taking the bus due to a lack of maintenance and strategic planning. Speaking to Kuwait Times, Oliana, 22, said, “Given the weather conditions, walking 20-30 minutes and waiting at bus stops with no proper seating or shade is exhausting.” Considering the bus stop issue, Kuwait Commute successfully built two bus stops, highlighting safety and comfort.
One of the main factors for the government’s apathy and neglect towards the development of Kuwait’s public buses is the lack of public lobbying for its betterment, especially from the citizens. As a result of cultural and societal norms, there is an undeniable stigma associated with using PT, and it is seen as a service used by second-class residents. Ahmed, a Kuwaiti man who took a survey by Kuwait Commute in partnership with Service Hero, stated, “I think public transportation in Kuwait is dedicated to blue-collar expatriates. To enhance public transportation, all this needs extra efforts by the government.” Awadhi attributes this stigma to the unsafe, uncomfortable, poorly maintained and low-quality service the current
PT provides. He believes that the stigma will dissipate following the improvement of PT. Kuwait Commute received recurring feedback from officials that said residents would not use PT as Kuwait lacks PT culture. However, the survey above revealed that out of the 2,178 respondents, 78 percent had used PT abroad, 63 percent would use PT for their daily commute if it is improved in Kuwait, and 73 percent believe an efficient bus system could help make transportation in Kuwait easier.
From 2006 until 2016, the number of private cars increased by 65 percent and for the same period, paved roads increased by only 28 percent. Additionally, about 80 percent of the streets in Kuwait are occupied by private cars, which is the reason for congestion. Awadhi concurred that building more roads to solve the traffic is no longer viable as it is only a temporary fix, not a permanent solution. Uzair, 28, commutes to work with his car daily, said to Kuwait Times, “The reformation of Kuwait’s public transportation is pivotal in decreasing the everyday traffic.” Oliana added, “Moreover, with the increasing restrictions around acquiring driver’s licenses, public transportation has become an essential part of a commuter’s daily life.”
Due to the lack of a central regulator and privatization of buses, bus operators are forced to run high-density routes to turn a profit, which deprives low-density areas of PT and congestion in densely populated areas. It also becomes a significant source of misinformation about bus and PT policies. Awadhi suggests, “This is resolved by having one government agency that has all the necessary authority and responsibilities which will enable it to plan, execute, and manage the PT system in which the private sector can assist in operations.”
He added, “The Kuwait Metro Rail is 180/200 km long, and Kuwait has +8,000 km of roads. You must provide a feeder service, a network that helps users reach the metro.” And since buses offer affordability, flexibility, and easy integration with other systems, they are a ‘stepping stone’ to not only different modes of public transportation but also to the overall development of Kuwait.
