Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Investors are in the process of forming an integrated company for transportation of local Umrah performers and pilgrims. The company's initial fleet will consist of 500 buses and is meant to provide services at competitive rates between Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah. Saad Al-Qurashi, member of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Makkah and head of the Transportation Committee attributed the reason behind the increase in transportation expenses last year to the fluctuations in the rate exchange and oil prices. He said this has affected the price of fuel adding that political upheavals in Syria also impacted the prices as more than 2500 buses enter the Kingdom yearly come from Turkey and Egypt. Those who work in the transportation sector were forced to detour their buses through Iraq and that the Iraqi authorities charged them more than Syria, a local newspaper quoted him as saying. Al-Qurashi said owners of buses this Haj season may resort to shipping their vehicles by sea to avoid crossing through Syria, a step that would increase the operational costs. He said the domestic Haj pilgrims also bear other fees as operators pay SR250 for every internal domestic to use the Mashaer Train pointing out that the train fees are still high. Eventually this is reflected on the final bill. The ministry is expected to start issuing license to the companies effective next week. Al-Qurashi said being a transportation company they will be able to rent their buses any time as per market requirement. The transportation committee at the chamber is leading an initiative to form an alliance of businessmen to secure SR200 million to buy 200 buses in the first stage. The estimated the number of the Umrah performers and visitors carried by the buses in this year's Umrah season was five million on 9,500 daily trips.
