The Ministry of Transport and Communications has extended the contract of Mowasalat to operate the West Bay Shuttle buses for one more year.
The ministry is planning to make it a paid service from April 1.
The service will now cover more areas in the West Bay, providing easier mobility and reducing traffic congestion, according to a communique from the ministry.
There will be only one route. Shuttle buses will operate between 6 am and 9 pm with a frequency of 12 minutes.
Both the Blue Line and Red Line routes have been combined into a single route. The bus stops are being changed and the locations distinguished.
The ministry has taken into account the feedback it received from the West Bay shuttle service passengers and the journey statistics to make the changes. It is expected that the single route will lessen congestion, which would help the buses to arrive on schedule.
The changes will allow passengers to access the bus from their required location and increase in frequency from 20 minutes to 12 minutes, it said.
The company will use eight new low-floor buses, which would make 76 trips a day. "As per the decision to merge the two routes, Mowasalat hopes to serve the passengers better by more accessibility and frequency and also reduce their travel time. The ministry is considering making it a paid service at a fair price, effective from April 1,” said a transport ministry official.
The free West Bay shuttle bus covers the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex, Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, Dafna Towers, Ministry of Justice, Public Works Authority, Sheraton Doha Hotel, City Center shopping mall, Qatar Postal Services Company (Q-Post) and the ministerial buildings opposite of the City Center.
According to the communique, the ministry is keen to establish the culture of easy transportation in public places and densely populated areas through diversification of services provided to passengers and families, aiming for a good quality of life for citizens and visitors.
Mowasalat has requested travellers to continue using their Karwa smartcards while boarding and leaving the bus. For inquiries, call 44588650.