NEC Corporation has been awarded an intelligent transportation system (ITS) project for the public transport network in the Sultanate of Oman from Oman National Transport Company S.A.O.C (MWASALAT), the government owned public transportation company in Oman. The system is scheduled to launch by the last quarter of the 2019 calendar year.
NEC will offer the latest ICT-based systems from its transportation solutions suite, including its Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) and Automated Vehicle Location System (AVLS), in order to contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing public transport network system. These systems will be installed on approximately 200 buses to enhance the public transport services that provide advantages for over 20,000 passengers each day.
The AFCS features contactless electronic payments through the use of a mobile application which will enable cashless, accurate and reliable fare collection. Moreover, AVLS software uses GPS to share real-time service updates with the bus control center, which helps maintain bus assets, operations, safety and customer satisfaction. The information is also relayed to a smart passenger information mobile application.
“MWASALAT believes that NEC’s sophisticated technologies will make our public transport operations more efficient and raise passenger satisfaction,” said Ahmed Ali Al Bulushi, CEO, MWASALAT. “Our ITS project will lead efforts for developing a smarter and more efficient bus transportation system in countries throughout the Middle East,” he added.
“We are very pleased that our smart transportation solutions will contribute to enhancing public transport services by making rides safer and more efficient for both passengers and drivers,” said Tsuyoshi Furukawa, President & CEO, NEC in GCC (Gulf Corporation Council). “NEC is committed to providing valuable solutions for society, and we will continue proposing innovative new solutions using smart transportation technologies, both in the Middle East and around the world.”