By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter


Mowasalat is open to improving its services based on the reports and feedback received from customers, a senior official of the passenger transport company said yesterday.
Speaking to Gulf Times, Mowasalat’s PR and Communication Manager Khalid Hassan Kafoud said the company had made remarkably good arrangements to receive feedback and complaints about the quality of the public transport services. He asked the public to alert the company whenever they experienced any issues while using either taxis or public transport buses.
“We are constantly monitoring the efficiency of their operations and corrective steps are made at regular intervals based on the feedback from the customers,” he said while explaining among other things the installation of sensors in taxis to improve services in recent months.  
“When we receive suggestions from those who really understood and followed the mode of the country’s public transport operations, we considered it always as the best way not only to improve the delivery and performance but also as a step to reach out to more people.”
While informing the initiatives that Mowasalat is planning to introduce in the coming months, Kafoud said based on the suggestions from residents and the reports in newspapers the company would consider launching mini-buses in place of  the large buses which are operated on certain routes without adequate passenger patronage.
“We are receiving regular feedback from people travelling on those routes where there is good patronage  and are also studying the public response of those sectors where there are fewer passengers.”
While answering another query, the official said the company required concurrence from different organisations and institutions before deciding on the new routes and changes to be made to some of the existing ones. The company, said Kafoud, is working closely with the Ministry of Municipalities and Urban Planning (MMUP), Ashghal, Ooredoo and other institutions and agencies before a decision is made.
When pointed out that the West Bay circulars are operated without any significant patronage, Kafoud said they are showing some improvement of late. However, it should have been better, he felt while informing that smaller buses for operations in the area would be considered.
Answering a  query the official said the company was working on a war footing to improve the facilities at bus stops across the country. “We will explore the possibility of involving the country’s large companies, corporations and institutions to set up  passenger-friendly bus shelters to ensure more comfort and convenience to the passengers.”