Free bus passes help senior citizens, people with physical disabilities stay active

AMMAN — Since the service became available in September of 2019, over 20,000 passes have been issued under Amman Bus’ free bus passes and transport concessions for Jordanians aged 60 years and over and citizens with physical disabilities.

CEO of the Amman Vision Investment and Development Company (AVID) Hamza Hajj Hassan told The Jordan Times on Sunday that the service aims to encourage senior citizens and people with physical disabilities to use public transportation, with the aim of assisting them to meet their needs. 

During the period from June 30 to December 31, 2019, 136,662 passengers used the free bus passes, according to the Amman Bus Facebook page.

Hajj Hassan noted that Amman Bus, which is owned by the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), works to provide a comprehensive system that benefits the entire community, adding that citizens eligible for the service can apply online for a bus pass through Amman Bus’ website.

Currently, he said, there are 135 buses operating, and 150 buses will be added in the first quarter of 2021.

“The bus pass is essential because it enables senior citizens to stay mobile,” Um Khaldoun, a senior citizen who benefits from the free Amman Bus passes, told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

“It improved my mental well-being,” she said. “It is a real game changer.”

Meanwhile, GAM has laid out a new three-lane road to support traffic management measures from Istiqlal Street to Al Nasha Bridge, paving the way for construction work on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, Fadi Saqqa, head of the BRT management, told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

As Istiqlal Street is one of Amman’s major thoroughfares linking the west and east of the city, the new road is geared towards contributing to the livability of the area during the construction phase, which stretches over 2.5 kilometres, Saqqa said, noting that the new route is permanent, not temporary.