MUSCAT: Mwasalat buses will soon have contactless electronic payment system that will contribute to improving the efficiency of the existing public transport network.

Japan’s NEC Corporation said that it has been awarded an intelligent transportation system (ITS) project by the Oman National Transport Company (Mwasalat). The system is scheduled to be launched by the last quarter of this 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). These systems will be installed on approximately 200 buses to enhance the public transport service that provide service to over 20,000 passengers every day.

The AFCS features contactless electronic payments through the use of a mobile application which will enable cashless, accurate and reliable fare collection, according to a statement from NEC. “Moreover, AVLS software uses GPS to share real-time service updates with the bus control centre, which helps maintain bus assets, operations, safety and customer satisfaction. The information is also relayed to a smart passenger information mobile application.”

Ahmed Ali al Bulushi, CEO, Mwasalat, said, “We believe that NEC’s sophisticated technologies will make our public transport operations more efficient and raise passenger satisfaction. Our ITS project will lead efforts for developing a smarter and more efficient bus transportation system in countries throughout the Middle East.”

“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 the GCC.

“NEC is committed to providing valuable solutions for society. We will continue proposing innovative new solutions using smart transportation technologies, both in the Middle East and around the world.”