Editing Transport in Qatar (section)

== Public transport ==
[[File:Qatar National Day Celebration - Bus.jpg|thumb|left|A public transit bus in a parade]]
In 2002, the Qatari government launched Mowasalat, a company 100% owned by the government, managed and operated by the state authorities to ensure the smooth provision of integrated ground-transport services for the entire country. Previously, 3,000 privately owned orange taxicabs used to rule the streets of Qatar but the government took them off the roads as they saw them as a threat to the new Mowasalat taxis. There has been much controversy over this move, as it is now very hard to find a taxi<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.onlineqatar.com/living/transportation/qatar-taxi-fares-and-types-of-taxies-in-doha |title=Taxi fares in Doha Qatar|publisher=OnlineQatar|date=2019-04-09 |access-date=2019-04-09 }}</ref> in [[Doha]].

Public [[bus]]es now service over 35 routes covering most locations of Doha with minimal fares making public transport in Qatar an inexpensive solution to the problems of rush hours and parking difficulties.

Mowasalat, under the brand-name Karwa, now operates more than 3,000 new taxi sedans including the recently acquired airport taxis with spacious cabins using 2007 Ford Freestars and more than 120 public buses, school buses, and private-hire coaches. In 2009, the Mowasalat created a world record for the largest parade of buses numbering 300 in all.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.qnaol.net/QNAEn/Local_News/Misc/Pages/MowasalatEnterstheGuinnessWorld21082009.aspx |title=QNA &#124; Miscellaneous &#124; Mowasalat Enters the Guinness World Records |access-date=2010-11-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721220935/http://www.qnaol.net/QNAEn/Local_News/Misc/Pages/MowasalatEnterstheGuinnessWorld21082009.aspx |archive-date=2011-07-21 }}</ref> In addition, its Doha Limousine Service has 100 standard limousines and 200 Jaguar XJ VIP units that are mostly placed at the Doha International Airport and at major hotels. In 2021, 'Karwa' acquired a fleet of diesel vehicles with [[European emission standards|Euro 5]] standard in order to remove particulate matter from exhausts, reducing it to the equivalent of one gram of sand per kilometer driven.<ref>{{Cite web|last=MENAFN|title=Qatar - Karwa to adopt AdBlue to limit emissions|url=https://menafn.com/1103456950/Qatar-Karwa-to-adopt-AdBlue-to-limit-emissions|access-date=2021-12-29|website=menafn.com}}</ref>

However, those without personal transportation still face difficulties to move around since the number of taxis is much lower than the actual need of the population. All buses operate only on specific assigned lines based at the Central Bus Stations at Al-Ghanem area of the old city.<ref>[http://qmotor.com/ Qatar Motor] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161219160853/http://qmotor.com/ |date=2016-12-19 }}.</ref>

The Ministry of Transport and Communications stated that Public bus ridership has increased by 40% between 2015 and 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gulf-times.com/story/639828|title=Public bus ridership in Qatar jumps 40% between 2015 and 2018|date=2019-08-24|website=Gulf-Times|language=ar|access-date=2019-08-25}}</ref>