Mowasalat has parked two running buses at its main station in Doha to serve as temporary shelters for passengers, after a bus driver last week lost control and plowed into a crowd of residents waiting for transport.

The accident, which injured more than a dozen people, also damaged some of the waiting sheds, leaving iron benches exposed to the sun and thus impossible to sit on. It was thought to have occurred because the driver accidentally stepped on the gas instead of the brakes.

According to the Peninsula, the air-conditioned buses have been a welcome relief for passengers this week, as temperatures reach 40C: 

“It is much comfortable to wait here. My bus comes every 20 minutes but there are times when I miss it and I have to wait longer so this comes as a relief for me,” said a Filipina commuter who avails public bus service.

But because the Al Ghanim terminal serves several thousand people a day, the bus shelters have not been able to accommodate everyone, sparking renewed calls to improve the facilities there. The newspaper reports:

“I’ve seen several AC shelters at a few bus stops in Doha and they are hardly used by commuters, so I don’t see any reason why Mowasalat would not build an AC waiting area at this main station where many people wait for buses,” said a commuter.

Have you traveled through the main bus station? Thoughts?

Credit: Photo by Marvin Fernandez