participation. However, this was not as
significant as the nature of the study was mostly
focused on expert-based opinion. Lastly, it
lacked adequate participation from transport
industry players, with only one respondent
from SAPTCO.
The subject of urban sustainability and
sustainable transportation is very broad. In
Saudi Arabia, the smart city initiatives will
help promote urban sustainability in many
ways. Therefore, future research should focus
on an in-depth study of government activities in
resolving the challenges of smart city projects
in the kingdom. In addition, there is a need to
evaluate the passengers’ perspectives.
Conclusion One of the most significant challenges to
development in the 21st Century is the
management of urbanization. The effectiveness
of using expert-based AHP as an appropriate
decision-making tool to improve public transport
utilization and major findings revealed that
travel time was the most important undermining
factor in Dammam, followed by privacy and
weather conditions. Thus, policymakers should
establish and implement plans that facilitate
the improvement of public transport provision,
development and utilization.
Certain policies such as zoning regulations
should be amended. For example, theregulation
that focused on development in major cities
might seem highly detrimental and self-
defeating, as resources were not allocated
efficiently (Abubakar & Aina, 2016; Garba,
2004). Urban planners should strive to
enhance the living condition of the people by
concentrating on urban challenges, especially
those relating to public transport (UN-Habitat,
2009). The present study is important because
it could help decision-makers in developing
strategies
towards
improving
transport
infrastructure, amending zoning regulations and
developing sustainability programmes for an
effective public transport in Dammam.
