Towards reliable public bus services in Greater Cairo

Abstract:
The complicated transport and traffic problems in Greater Cairo have negative influence s on
both people life and health; moreover, these problems lead to significant waste in working hours
and increase air pollution levels. Private-car-ownership in Greater Cairo shows that only about
20% of the total populations are private-car-owners, while the majority have no private cars and
are forced to use all available different modes of public transport , which are deteriorated and
unreliable in most cases, in their daily trips. Classified tra ffic counts on Greater Cairo roads,
streets and junctions showed that private cars represent over 80% of traffic composition with
average occupancy of about 1.3. The combined effect of the higher traffic of private cars, their
illegal on-street parking and the insufficient road and intersection capacities, are the main
reasons of road traffic congestions. The evolution of the transport in Greater Cairo over the past
three decades shows an increase in the use of passenger cars (including taxis), which is cur rently
absorbing over one fourth (25%) of the motorized trip market . Some forms of public transport , in
particular public bus services and light rail, have suffered a corresponding decline in patronage.
Shared taxis, on the other hand, have aggressively in creased their market share1. Moreover, the
currently applied fare policies of the individual public transport modes do not facilitate
cooperation among the various operators 2. This research aims to study the provision of
distinctive, reliable and comforta ble public transport, with unsubsidized and trip dependable fare,
to encourage and attract private car owners, thereby reducing traffic congestions. In the same
time no changes will be introduced to regular public services fare, as their users are low-income
and non-motorists. To achieve research objectives , E-mail questionnaire using a well -designed
questionnaire form are performed on a randomly selected sample of about 460 private car owners
from different places, ages, genders, education levels, and life styles. The purpose was
to poll their opinion about key points such as; using the proposed distinctive bus services, the
suitable travel fare per kilometer and if they have other suggestions. The analysis showed that
private car owners strongly encour aged the idea, and they see that 0.5 LE/km is a fair fare for its
use.