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http://omantribune.com/details/49294/ MUSCAT Mwasalat buses will get smarter soon with the introduction of an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). The innovative plan, to be in place by the end of the year, will improve passenger safety and operational efficiency. Mwasalat CEO Ahmad Bin Ali Al Bulushi told Oman Tribune that it was examining proposals submitted by suppliers of ITS technology and would choose the system best suited for the company’s operations. The system should be in place by the end of the year or early 2018, he said, and would be installed in all buses and would enable passengers pay fares with smart cards and mobile phones. The programme is ideal for companies operating large fleets of buses as it can track vehicles, monitor performance and deploy them on required routes. More buses can be deployed on a route if data shows there is a sudden increase in passengers. The system also give vehicle location and expected time of arrival on mobile devices. Recently, DTI Group of Australia was awarded a contract to supply surveillance systems for 98 new buses that will be delivered to Mwasalat. The order was placed by Majees Technical Services LLC (Majees), an Omani firm contracted by Mwasalat to provide a package of services. The surveillance systems were part of a solution that helps monitor the behaviour of driver and passengers, said Al Balushi. They help safe operations as the driver can observe passengers boarding and alighting the bus, including children. Mwasalat is the process of inducting 98 buses of which 65 will be for city operations and 33 for inter city operations, said Al Balushi. The buses would be included in operations by the end of this year or early 2018. In Muscat, there are currently 52 buses in operation of which 40 are large buses and 12 are mini buses. Mwasalat has a total fleet of 574 buses, including those serving universities and schools. It transported over 2.2 million passengers in the first half of 2017, a growth of 48.5 per cent over the same period in 2016.