1426AH) included the implementation of new highways with a length of more than 8, 000 kilometer at a total cost of SR 7 billion. The new roads include Taif-Abha Road, completion of Riyadh-Dammam Road, completion of the circle road in Riyadh, and the circle road in Hassa. Meanwhile, the Saudi officials have been giving great attention to the transport sector. In 1399 AH, a Royal decree was issued for the establishment of the Saudi Arabia Public Transport Company (SAPTCO). The fleet of SAPTCO has jumped to 3, 095 buses of various sizes. In 2003, the buses of SAPTCO transported about 11.2 million passengers. In order to improve the standard of road safety, the Ministry of Transport has established 13 administrations to undertake the supervision of the maintenance of the road projects. From 1390/1391 AH up to 1424-1425 AH, more than SR 16 billion were spent on the program of roads maintenance. On the other hand, the Saudi Government has been giving great attention to roads that link the Kingdom with its neighboring countries like Yemen, Kuwait, Jordan,, Qatar, the Untied Arab Emirates and Oman. Late King Fahd bin Abdulaziz inaugurated on 24/3/1407 (Nov 25, 1987) the causeway that links the Kingdom with Bahrain.
