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Zainab Naser - 201101711

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Contents

Zainab Naser

201101711

Andrew Bardsley

12th May 2014 12th May 2014

By submitting this assessment for marking, either electronically or as hard copy, I confirm the following: This assignment is my own work Any information used has been properly referenced. I understand that a copy of my work may be used for moderation. I have kept a copy of this assignment

Passenger Transport Management

International Logistics ManagementAssignment one

TLB6300

Zainab Naser - 201101711

.......................................................................................................................................................1Introduction:...................................................................................................................................3Body:..............................................................................................................................................41. Infrastructure networks:..........................................................................................................42. Traffic networks:......................................................................................................................73. Regulatory networks:..............................................................................................................94. Communication networks:.....................................................................................................115. Auxiliary services:..................................................................................................................136. Skills networks:......................................................................................................................15Conclusion:...................................................................................................................................17References:...................................................................................................................................18

Zainab Naser - 201101711

Introduction:

Purpose:

The aim of this report is to investigate Bahrain's current public transport system using the NETs

analysis and to provide comprehensive SWOT analysis of the system for all the NETs networks. The

public transport in Bahrain has only one mode which is Buses, they are operated by CARs the private

company collaborating with the government.

Terms of references:

This report was requested by Mr Andrew Bardsley, Logistics tutor at Bahrain Polytechnic. This report

will be submitted to Mr Andrew on the 12th of May according to the extension deadline.

Methods:

The information was gathered from different sources which are websites, book and interview with

the Chief of Driving License Branch; Abdul Rahman AlMawda.

Zainab Naser - 201101711

Body:

1. Infrastructure networks:

Networks of facilities which establish a physical infrastructure for the movement of transportations

with different modes, for example: rails for trains and dock and ports for vessels. For the public

transport in Bahrain which is buses, the infrastructure facilities are roads, bus stops, bridges and

parking. (Webb.J,n.d)

Bahrain Infrastructure has not developed yet to fit with the public buses. It is still weak for providing

an efficient bus networks because of some issues within the roads. Some of roads in central area and

other important areas where a lot of businesses and people go there are narrow and cannot fit the

size of buses like Manama's roads so passengers prefer to use other mode of transport. Also, a lot of

What is NETs?

"NETs" stands for Networks Enabling Transport systems; it is a theory used to analyze any situation

of Transportation system of any modes: air, road, water and rail. NETs consist of six networks which

transportation system needs to become systematic allowing the movements of people, goods and

information. These networks are: infrastructure, traffic, regulatory, communication, auxiliary services

and skills. (Kissling.C, 2007)

What is SWOT?

"SWOT" stands for "Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats". This analysis is used to

outline the objectives of any business or service by determining the strength, what must be improve,

what are the possibilities and opportunities and threats to know how to deal with them. (Manize.N,

nd)

Zainab Naser - 201101711

roads around Bahrain have damages and holes which sometimes can be big so it harm and damage

the buses. Even the street lights, some of them do not work or broken so at night the road is so dark

which cause lack of vision becoming dangerous roads.

There are 600 bus stops in Bahrain for the buses but many of them are not serviced because of

unviable routes (Arabia,2010). However, these stations are unsafe and out-dated as the municipal

councillors and residents outlined. They are also inefficient and unusable because they are dirty and

full of dust, the chairs uncomfortable and filthy and the station is non-air conditioned which it makes

it hard for passengers to wait for the bus because of Bahrain's hot weather. Furthermore, passengers

cannot find any schedules or routes map in the bus stops, they only can find peoples scribble!

SWOT analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

Widespread bus stops. Unusable and inefficient bus stops.

No special lanes for the buses.

Damaged roads.

Maintaining infrastructure needs huge

budget.

Opportunities Threats

Build one lane for buses.

Providing regular maintenance.

Rebuild bus stops.

There are no passengers

Other competitors

Strength:

Widespread bus stops: There are a lot of bus stops around Bahrain; in each area there is

more than one stop so passengers can go to the nearest one.

Zainab Naser - 201101711

Weaknesses:

Unusable and inefficient bus stops: bus stops are very old, non-air condition and filthy.

Passengers cannot use them because of Bahrain's weather and they cannot sit because the

chairs are full of dust and uncomfortable. Also there are no schedules or time tables.

No special lanes for the buses: Because buses shares roads with other vehicles, buses will be

bad choice for any passenger because it will take time more than other modes like cars or

taxis.

Damaged roads: A lot of roads are weak and damaged because there are no regular

maintenance. Some roads have big holes which damage the buses, some of them are closed

because of sewage leak and some of them are dark at night because lights are damaged. All

these issues within the roads give the passenger unsecure feelings to use public buses

because small vehicles can avoid these roads because they do not have fixed routes.

Maintaining infrastructure needs huge budget: maintaining roads, rebuilding roads and

stations will need a lot of money. Because if they do not have money to maintain the

infrastructure, they will not be able to develop the public transports.

Opportunities:

Build one lane for buses: Redesigning roads and building special lanes for buses will make

the movement of the buses fast and away from the traffic encouraging passengers to use it.

Providing regular maintenance: it will help fixing any damage in the roads fast and it will

keep the good condition of the roads for longer time like preventing damages before it

happens.

Rebuild bus stops: rebuilding bus stops to provide modern with air conditioners, clean and

comfortable seats and clear route maps and schedules.

Treats:

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There are no passengers: Because of the weak infrastructure, there will not be any

passengers to use the public buses because they cannot provide efficient services.

Other competitors: Passengers will tend to use other transportation modes like taxis and

Para transit because they provide efficient and reliable services.

2. Traffic networks:

Mr John webb said that anything causes traffic is part of the traffic network which means that the

public buses with its movement in relation to each other create traffic network.

According to chief executive officer Ahmed Bin Hindi, CARS Company is operating a fleet consists of

50 Mercedes buses which carry around 80 passenger and Toyota mini buses with the cheap price do

not exceed 300fils. There is a small number of old buses which is not in a good condition for

passengers use because the air conditioner is damaged, the bus is dirty and the seats are old and full

of dust. However, the majority of new buses are with good condition but they are always smelly

because the users are Indian workers which effects on the perspective of other passengers.

The Buses has a fixed routes and schedules to follow but no one know when the bus is coming and

how long he will wait next to the bus stop because of several reasons like: there is no information in

the company's website and in peak hours the traffic increase so buses get stuck. Ministry of Traffic is

responsible of keeping the movement of vehicles in the roads smoothly especially in peak hours to

decrease congestions.

SWOT analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

Buses with good conditions. Some of unusable buses.

Bahrainis negative mind-sets.

Zainab Naser - 201101711

Affordable cost. Bahrainis culture.

Opportunities Threats

Modern buses

Other transportation mode

There are no passengers

Other competitors

Strengths:

Buses with good condition: majority of buses are air-conditioned, comfortable seats and

clean which makes them useable.

Affordable cost: the cost for taking the bus is cheap and affordable.

Weaknesses:

Some of unusable buses: small number of buses is unusable because they are old and dirty

which makes them unsafe to use.

Bahrainis negative mind-sets: Bahraini people have thoughts that public buses are only for

workers and Bahraini prestige do not allow them to ride buses.

Bahrainis culture: as women wear Abaya and Hijab, it is hard for them to use public buses

because Islam and culture do not allow girl to set in one chair with boy.

Opportunities:

Modern buses: if cars or the Ministry of Transportation provide new modern buses can serve

even passengers with special needs and it has new technologies, they can attract people to

use these buses. For example, if the buses has screen in the back of the seats, people will use

these buses because they are addicted to electronics.

Other transportation mode: Bahrain could have metro like Dubai which it will be a new

modern thing that can attract people to use it as long as it provides efficient and fast

services.

Threats:

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There are no passengers: if the negative min-set of people has not change, there will not be

passengers other than the workers.

Other competitors: taxis, private cars and Para transit are strong competitors to public buses

because they are more efficient.

3. Regulatory networks:

These networks combine rules and regulations which control the public transport to make sure that

they provide effective, legal and safe services.

Bahrain public transport is privately owned by CARS Company and governmentally regulated by the

General Directorate of Traffic. Ahmed Bin Hindi the chief executive officer stated that there are

strong and strict rules and its level become higher in the last years but the same problem is still there

which is there are no real enforcement for these rules! Abdul Rahman Al-Mawda the Chief of Driving

License Branch clarified some regulations which are: bus driver must have heavy license and his age

must be not less than 25years with 5years driving experience. In addition, buses are not allowed to

drive in the left line of the roads; the maximum speed is 80km\hour in highways and main roads

while the minimum speed is 30km\hour in residential areas.

SWOT analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

Strong rules No real enforcements for regulations

Opportunities Threats

Real enforcement Disregard regulations

Strengths:

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Strong rules: rules and regulations for transportations are strong and contravention fees

have increased and become high to force drivers to follow the rules. For instance, there is a

new rule which is; anyone cross a red traffic light must pay50BHD.

Weaknesses:

No real enforcements for regulations: All drivers know that regulations are easy to break in

Bahrain because there are no real enforcements unless the radar camera takes a picture for

the car plate, then traffic management will enforce the driver to pay the fees.

Opportunities:

Real enforcement: if regulations enforced strictly on drivers and whom contravention the

laws and if drivers feel of the real enforcement they will not keep breaking the rules and

roads will be much safer and even public bus will provide safer services encouraging people

to use it.

Threats:

Disregard regulations: If regulations are not enforced, a lot of drivers will go around these

rules and will break it encouraging others to do the same. Roads will be dangerous increasing

the number of accidents. Public buses will be unsafe transportation to use and its movement

will be affected negatively as it will be difficult to keep up with the schedule with all these

problems in roads.

4. Communication networks:

Communication networks are for exchanging information between all employees in the chain of

transportation starting with the manager who gives orders and ending with the last employee. The

system cannot work without communication network because it allows the flow of information to

control all processes.

Types of communication in Bahrain's public transport:

Zainab Naser - 201101711

Written: The website of CARs company is a ways to communicate with passengers to tell

them about provided services, routes of buses, locations of stations and time table for buses

movements. However, the website is hard to find and there are no schedules for buses or

even the routes.

Face to face: the manager communicates with the drivers to give them the instructions and

responsibilities. Also passengers communicate with the driver in bus station to ask him about

his next destination.

Verbal: a lot of information from various parties is verbally using phones. The drivers

communicate with the managers by phone when they have problem or when they cannot go

to work and in case of accidents they communicate with the ambulance and police by phone

to report the accident. Also drivers communicate with each other via phone to transfer any

important information. In case any passenger needs to communicate with the Ministry of

Traffic, there are available numbers in the ministry website. However, it is hard to get an

answer and it is harder to get the employee which can help him.

Signs: Bus driver communicates with the drivers in the road next to him by signs for instance,

the right indicator means the bus will take the right turn. These signs and traffic signs help

either the bus driver or the other drivers to know where this vehicle is going and how to deal

with its movement. The problem is that a lot of drivers in Bahrain do not use these signs and

they just come in front of you without giving you any warnings.

SWOT analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

No strengths Unproductiveness website

Ineffective sign communication

Opportunities Threats

Developing the website Delay

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Modern communication technologies Other competitors

Weaknesses:

Unproductiveness website: Passengers cannot find schedules and routes either in bus stops

or the website which it means losing communication with passengers because they do not

know anything about the services.

Ineffective sign communication: because drivers do not use the light signs of the car

effectively, it is hard for the bus driver to know where these next cars going. Even buses now

do not use these signs which make them dangerous for passengers and the other cars in the

road.

Opportunities:

Developing the website: Developing the website and providing all the information needed

by the passengers will encourage passengers to use buses as long as they work through these

fixed schedules.

Modern communication technologies: Technology is an important element to the

transportation. For example, provide buses with GPS and maps connected with a modern

system in the main station so the manager can send any changes in routes via this

technology to avoid any accident in the road to result in fast and efficient services.

Threats:

Delay: bad communication means bad service. If a driver could not go to work and the

manager did not communicate with other driver to cover that route, there will be delays in

some routes and maybe the bus will not show up because the manager do not know about

the sick driver.

Other competitors: If passengers cannot communicate with the operators of this service and

could not find anything in the website, they will use other transportation because they do

not know anything about the service and the schedules.

Zainab Naser - 201101711

5. Auxiliary services:

These are external services needed to provide effective basic networks and without them transport

network cannot operate. These services are: petrol stations, fire stations, police, ambulance, traffic

control platform.

It is not hard in Bahrain to find petrol stations because they are widespread to make it easy for the

drivers to find one and to make sure that buses have enough fuel to operate. The services in petrol

stations are reliable. In Bahrain's roads especially junctions there are traffic control platforms to keep

the movement in roads smoothly. However, these platforms are not effective in Bahrain and the

worker inside them does not do his job professionally so the traffic is always increasing. Sometimes

in big busy roundabouts a patrolman stands there controlling the movement of vehicles which helps

to decrease the congestion especially in peak hours. Also traffic and police cars can be seen next to

highways and other big roads to make sure that the road regulations are not broken to protect the

safety of the roads. Furthermore, in case of an accident, bus driver or any passenger could call

ambulance, traffic police and fire stations which they sometimes come late. When ambulances turn

on its siren, cars open the roads and give way to the ambulance to move fast. The problem is when

this happens, the cars move fast behind the ambulance which it causes congestion and other

accidents.

SWOT analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

Widespread petrol stations

Patrolman services

Traffic police cars next to roads

24hours services

Non-functional traffic control platforms

Delays of some services

Opportunities Threats

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Developing some services

Functional traffic control platforms

Increasing accidents

Delays

Strengths:

Widespread petrol stations: having petrol stations in each area make it easy for any vehicle

to refuel to operate without delays.

Patrolman services: providing these services in congestions roads or roundabouts as it

mentioned above decrease congestions and accidents which helps public buses to provide

fast services.

Traffic police cars next to roads: Being next to roads specially highways and fast roads

prevent drivers from breaking rules of speed limits and others which then increase the safety

of the roads.

24hours services: Fire stations, traffic police and ambulance are24hours services which any

bus has an accident at any time can call these services.

Weaknesses:

Non-functional traffic control platforms: not providing any efficient useful services which

make them non-functional and it led to more congestions.

Delays of some services: In case of an accident, sometimes traffic police, ambulance and fire

trucks delays so road with the accident become crowded which causes delays for the other

vehicles including public buses.

Opportunities:

Developing some services: Because transport services cannot operate without these

auxiliary services, developing these services to become efficient will increase the efficiency of

public transports.

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Functional traffic control platforms: If these work effectively and the worker inside works

professionally, congestions and accidents will decrease which it will result positively in the

public buses movement.

Threats:

Increasing accidents: When these services are not effectively operating a lot of accidents will

happen in the streets and with the delays of the police and ambulance services, there might

be other accidents which it will make roads dangerous.

Delays: public buses will delay when a control platform does not operate so public buses will

lose more passengers because they can find another mode of transportation which does not

delay.

6. Skills networks:

Networks of skills needed to operate public transportations on infrastructure according to rules and

regulations and to be able to understand transport communication.

Public buses drivers are the main operators for transportation, they must have heavy license to drive

buses which means that they trained how to operate it. They also need training when they work for

CARs Company to make sure that they are able to provide good service based on their skills. They

have to be able to read and understand signs in roads and to communicate by indicators and horn

with the cars. Also they have to be able to use communication technologies to communicate with the

manager and the work colleagues. Most of drivers of public buses in Bahrain are foreign or old men

but they can use phone to communicate and they are able to read the signs but unfortunately a lot

of buses drivers drive crazy breaking speed limits and not using signs communication in road because

everyone don't.

SWOT analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

There is training for heavy license Recruiting irresponsible drivers

Opportunities Threats

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Evaluating drivers monthly Delays

Passenger safety threats

Strengths:

There is training for heavy license: Before any driver drives a bus he must have training to

gain heavy license which it gives him experience.

Weaknesses:

Recruiting irresponsible drivers: A lot of delays happen because of irresponsible drivers who

drive freely either by breaking rules or by not following the time schedules because there are

no manager to watch them and no passengers to complaint about them.

Opportunities:

Evaluating drivers monthly: if managers evaluate the behaviour and driving of the driver

monthly to give those punishments when they do something wrong or delay, drivers will

start to be responsible for their actions.

Threats:

Delays: having irresponsible drivers will led to delays of service because they do not have

time management skills so they do not follow schedules correctly.

Passenger safety threats: Passengers will feel unsafe when drivers exceed speed limits and

ignore some rules. They will prefer to use other safety transportation.

Conclusion:

Bahrain Public Transport will not be efficient and reliable as long as there are problems within these

six networks because they all connect to each other and they all effect on each other. It is hard as

this point to maintain everything damaged in the networks but if each one responsible in these

networks work hard to develop and maintain they will be able to provide a reliable service which can

encourage passengers to use it.

Zainab Naser - 201101711

References:

Websites:

Arabia, T. (2010, July 10). Bahrain bus company plans expansion. Retrieved from

http://www.tradearabia.com/news/IND_220196.html

AL A'ALI, M. (2010, December 12). Bus stops revamp on way . Retrieved from http://www.gulf-daily-

news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=293670

Bahrain, H. (n.d.). Rules & regulations. Retrieved from http://hellobahrain.com/content/rules-

regulations

Bus fares. (2014). Retrieved from http://mot.gov.bh/en/land-transport/public-transport/public-buses

Chris, K. (2007). the networks enabling transport systems (nets). Retrieved from

http://www.globalspec.com/reference/79688/203279/chapter-3-the-networks-enabling-

transport-systems-nets

Gov, M. (2013). General directorate of traffic. Retrieved from http://www.moic.gov.bh/En/MoIC

Centers/BahrainInvestorsCenter/Licensing

Authorities/MinistryOfInterior/GeneralDirectorateofTraffic/Pages/GeneralDirectorateofTraffi

c.aspx

Land transport. (2014). Retrieved from http://mot.gov.bh/en/land-transport

Ministry, E. (2012, March 22). Ministries websites. Retrieved from:

http://www.moe.gov.bh/en/ministry.aspx

Webb, J. (n.d.). John nets outline. Retrieved from

http://moodle.polytechnic.bh/moodle/course/view.php?id=314

Interview:

Al-Mawda, A. (2012, December 10). Interview by Zainab Naser []. Traffic & driving rules., Retrieved from http://www.bahrain.bh/wps/portal/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3g3E0cj0wAXIwMDvwBXAyNLbw8jkxBXIxMTc6B8pFm8s7ujh4m5j4GBhYubhYGRk6mZZ6CBi4GBpykB3cGJRfrhIDvxmwGSN8ABHA30_Tzyc1P1C3IjKjx1HRUBibmaSg!!/dl3/d3/L0lHSkovd0RNQUprQUVnQSEhL1lCZncvYXI!/

Zainab Naser - 201101711

Book

Tiffin, J., & Kissling, C. (2007). Transport Communication. (1st ed., p.38). London: Kogan Page.