On the sidelines of the Digital Region Projects Exhibition, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah Region, officially launched the prototype of a public transport bus in Makkah, which contribute significantly to serving citizens, pilgrims, and visitors to the holy city by launching an integrated service system in alignment with the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

Prince Khalid was informed of the new transportation system's operating mechanism, which seeks to meet the transportation demands arising from the predicted expansion in Makkah's population and the number of tourists to the Grand Holy Mosque and the holy sites.

This would also contribute to Makkah's economic development by making it easier to get to the Grand Holy Mosque and other mosques in the city, and educational and health facilities, commercial and recreational places, and that it would potentially reduce pollution and preserve the environment by decreasing reliance on compact cars as a mode of transportation.

The bus network is divided into two stages, with the first phase consisting of 12 lines and nearly 83 stops, with medium-sized buses used, and the second phase composed of express lines with devoted tracks, a length of 172 km and approximately 342 stops, with buses of significantly higher capacity and frequency, utilized.

The project also involved the operation of almost 400 buses, consisting of 240 ordinary buses with a seating capacity of up to 85 seats and 160 buses with a seating capacity of 125 seats, and also includes the development of a bus accommodation station that comprises a control building, a drivers management building, a fueling station, a light maintenance workshop, a bus washing and repair station, a heavy maintenance workshop, bus stops, and driver housing amenities.

The buses are outfitted with extinguishing and environmental protection systems to reduce Euro-4 carbon emissions, protection technologies mostly through surveillance cameras in and out of the bus, a collision-avoidance system, electronic screens that show the location to be reached, a hydraulic system to assist people with disabilities, and stroller and special needs spaces.

The buses will also feature Internet access (Wi-Fi) and an audio-visual system that displays journey details to travelers and that they will operate for an average of 22 hours each day.