A Case Study on Perceptions of Public Transportation in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

The Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is home toalmost 5,000,000 people and is a major contributor to Saudi Arabia’s economic strength. The area has experienced population growthof about 3.5% per yearand rapid urbanization over the past few decades.With this increase in population has come a significant escalation in automobile traffic,which, in turn, has contributedto poor air quality in the province.Two of the major cities in the area were listed on the World Health Organization’s2016 top 15 cities with the worst air pollution.Local studies have shown that vehicletraffic is a significant contributor to poor air quality and thus, eventually, climate change. Public transportation could alleviate some of the pollution. Unfortunately, overall past perceptions of public transportation and its negative connotations within the Saudi Arabian cultural setting have discouraged previous attempts to developpublic transit services. Currently, KSA is progressing with metro works in the capital city of Riyadh and isconsidering what services to offer in the Eastern Province. This research involved surveyingover 800 Eastern Province residents to determine whether they would use public transportation if it was offered, and what type of service they would expect. The response was positive and providedinitial indicationsthat public transportation is needed and would be utilized.