Salt:Students at Balqa Applied University (BAU) have called for improved services on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Route 107, which connects Sweileh to the university campus. They highlighted issues of daily crowding and the lack of waiting shelters and seating at bus stops.
According to Jordan News Agency, overcrowding is particularly severe during the morning peak hours at the Sweileh terminal and in the afternoon outside the university, leading to extended waiting times for students. They have urged relevant authorities to install additional shelters and benches before the winter season and to allocate more buses during peak hours.
BAU President Ahmad Al-Ajlouni emphasized that student welfare is a top priority and stated that the university management is in constant communication with public transport authorities to address these operational challenges. In response to the increased demand, the number of buses on the route was raised from 12 to 14 by deploying reserve units.
Al-Ajlouni noted that the daily ridership reached 5,127 passengers last Sunday, surpassing the initial projections of 3,000 to 3,500 daily riders. Operational changes include prioritizing morning trips from Sweileh to the university and reallocating buses toward Sweileh during evening peak hours. Additionally, bus departure intervals have been shortened during peak periods to reduce the standard 20-minute layovers and maintain a continuous cycle.
Furthermore, a joint committee comprising the Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC), Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), and relevant transport authorities is currently assessing long-term demand to evaluate potential future fleet expansions.