Amman, Sept. 9 (Petra) - The National Public Transport Network recorded a spike in growth in August, serving nearly 350,000 passengers across its first two phases.

Buses completed 22,431 trips and covered 1.44 million kilometers across lines linking governorate centers to Amman, inter-governorate routes, and direct connections to King Hussein Medical Center, according to Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC) data released on Wednesday.

Project Director Obadah Abu Qamar said that August’s figures showcase a shift toward data-driven transit management, allowing operators to adjust frequencies, capacity, and schedules based on actual passenger demand rather than static timetables.

Phase 1, which covers five primary routes connecting Irbid, Jerash, Salt, Karak, and Al-Qasr to Amman, carried 244,411 passengers across 15,737 trips, generating JD302,980.90 in digital payments. The Salt–Amman route led ridership with 89,251 passengers, followed by Irbid–Amman with 82,987.

Although total Phase 1 trips fell 5.4 percent compared to July, digital revenues rose 5.4 percent, pointing to higher bus occupancy and stronger reliance on electronic ticketing.

Phase 2 routes, including connections such as Zarqa–Irbid, Zarqa–Mafraq, and Tafileh–Amman, transported 99,951 passengers over 6,694 trips, generating JD187,271.75 electronically. The Zarqa–Irbid route topped Phase 2 ridership with 30,385 passengers.

Additionally, direct routes servicing King Hussein Medical Center carried over 7,800 passengers across both phases.

Schedule compliance reached up to 99 percent in Phase 1 and 98 percent in Phase 2, though frequency adherence varied across routes.

LTRC officials noted that integrating electronic ticketing, GPS tracking, and automated performance metrics provides real-time data to continually refine route efficiency, increase reliability, and optimize bus distribution nationwide.

//Petra// HA