Buses donated by France parked in a depot in Beirut. (Credit: Richard Salamé/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — Caretaker Public Works Minister Ali Hamieh said on Monday that the Lebanese Railways and Public Transport Authority had issued a call for tenders to the private and public sectors for the management and operation of public buses in Lebanon.
During a press briefing, the minister reviewed the commissioning of public buses, including those donated by France. He announced that 95 buses, including 45 belonging to the Railways and Shared Transportation Authority (OCFTC), were ready for service.
With regard to the French buses, the minister pointed out that no party had responded to the invitation to tender launched to find drivers or to the one launched for the supply of fuel. According to him, this lack of responsiveness is linked to exchange rate fluctuations and the depreciation of the national currency. As a result, these buses were shut down shortly after becoming operational.
Hamieh announced that he had launched a call for tenders to manage and operate public buses. "This is the first call for tenders based on a partnership between the public and private sectors," he added.
The tender specifications are now available on the platform of the Public Procurement Authority.
Finally, he expressed hope that the buses would be back in service before the start of the school year.
Rising gasoline prices against a backdrop of financial collapse have exacerbated the need to reform Lebanon's public transport sector. Numerous ministers have already addressed the issue, but no serious reform has yet been put on track.