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Gender-Responsive Public Transportation in the Dammam Metropolitan Region, Saudi Arabia

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  • Muhammad Ahmad Al-Rashid

    (Department of City and Regional Planning, University of Management and Technology, Lahore 54770, Pakistan)

  • Kh Md Nahiduzzaman

    (School of Engineering, University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada)

  • Sohel Ahmed

    (Independent Consultant and Researcher, Edinburgh EH9 3DN, UK)

  • Tiziana Campisi

    (Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Kore University of Enna, Cittadella Universitaria, 94100 Enna, Italy)

  • Nurten Akgün

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Bursa Technical University, 16330 Bursa, Turkey)

Abstract

The limited availability of public transportation in Saudi Arabia leads to an increased demand for private vehicles. An increase in using private cars does not meet the global sustainability goals, e.g., reducing energy consumption and improving the air quality. Road users should be encouraged to use sustainable mobility modes, particularly public transportation, equally accessible to both men and women However, women’s mobility has been somewhat limited and challenged in spatio-temporal terms, and partly due to socio-cultural barriers. This study attempts to understand the gender experience of a sample of public transport users and consider their aspirations and needs into daily mobility. A survey campaign (structured interviews and online questionnaires) was launched in the Dammam Metropolitan Region (DMR), taking four different types of respondents into account. The results suggest a predominant preference for taxis for shopping and leisure activities due to a poor public transport service, pivotally characterized by limited operational routes, hours, and infrastructure. This study ponders upon the adequacy of the supporting infrastructures and interior design of the public buses to women’s needs and compare them with global best practices. The results suggest that, due to the absence of a gender-responsive design and infrastructure, women are forced to use taxis, although privacy and a sense of insecurity often become concerns when traveling alone or with children. The study results allow future research to be expanded, considering women’s mobility patterns, needs, and embedded barriers by comparing the results with current transport policies, plans, and practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Ahmad Al-Rashid & Kh Md Nahiduzzaman & Sohel Ahmed & Tiziana Campisi & Nurten Akgün, 2020. "Gender-Responsive Public Transportation in the Dammam Metropolitan Region, Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:21:p:9068-:d:438246
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Muhammad Nadeem & Amer Aziz & Muhammad Ahmad Al-Rashid & Giovanni Tesoriere & Muhammad Asim & Tiziana Campisi, 2021. "Scaling the Potential of Compact City Development: The Case of Lahore, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-22, May.
    2. Carolina Busco & Felipe González & Nelson Lillo, 2022. "Safety, Gender, and the Public Transport System in Santiago, Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Muhammad Nadeem & Muhammad Azam & Muhammad Asim & Muhammad Ahmad Al-Rashid & Othman Che Puan & Tiziana Campisi, 2021. "Does Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) Meet the Citizens’ Mobility Needs? Evaluating Performance for the Case of Multan, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-18, June.
    4. Kh Md Nahiduzzaman & Tiziana Campisi & Amin Mohammadpour Shotorbani & Khaled Assi & Kasun Hewage & Rehan Sadiq, 2021. "Influence of Socio-Cultural Attributes on Stigmatizing Public Transport in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-23, November.
    5. Yvonne Hail & Ronald McQuaid, 2021. "The Concept of Fairness in Relation to Women Transport Users," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, March.
    6. Ghada Alturif & Wafaa Saleh, 2023. "Attitudes and Behaviour towards More Sustainable Travel Options in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An Emerging Social Change?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-19, August.
    7. Zaher Youssef & Habib Alshuwaikhat & Imran Reza, 2021. "Modeling the Modal Shift towards a More Sustainable Transport by Stated Preference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Muhammad Ahmad Al-Rashid & Hong Ching Goh & Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain & Zulfiqar Ali & Tiziana Campisi & Tahir Mahmood, 2020. "Psychosocial Barriers of Public Transport Use and Social Exclusion among Older Adults: Empirical Evidence from Lahore, Pakistan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-23, December.
    9. Xudong Li & Zhongzhen Yang & Feng Lian, 2023. "Optimizing On-Demand Bus Services for Remote Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-20, April.
    10. Tiziana Campisi & Anastasios Skoufas & Alexandros Kaltsidis & Socrates Basbas, 2021. "Gender Equality and E-Scooters: Mind the Gap! A Statistical Analysis of the Sicily Region, Italy," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-24, October.
    11. Muhammad Ahmad Al-Rashid & Muhammad Nadeem & Tiziana Campisi & Yong Adilah Shamsul Harumain & Hong Ching Goh, 2022. "How Do Psychosocial Barriers Shape Public Transport Use? A Mixed-Method Study among Older Adults in Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-20, September.

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