28 February 2023 – Mr. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, CEO of the Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO), and member of the Executive Committee of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS), was a guest of the Socrates podcast.
In this interview, Mr. Al-Hogail explained that SAPTCO is a state-owned transportation company aiming to provide safe, reliable, and affordable public transportation options for the people of Saudi Arabia. With a focus on sustainability and innovation, SAPTCO has been committed to improving the quality of life for all residents, since its creation in 1979.
Currently, SAPTCO operates over 1,500 buses across the country, providing convenient and efficient transportation to thousands of commuters every day. In Riyadh alone, SAPTCO operates over 100 bus routes, with plans to expand even further in the near future.
In 2019, the company reported a revenue of SAR 2.7 billion (USD 720 million) and a net income of SAR 277.9 million (USD 74.1 million).
But SAPTCO isn’t stopping there. The company has ambitious plans to improve its existing infrastructure, in partnership with the French company RATP, by introducing new buses equipped with the latest technology and by increasing the frequency of bus routes, in order to transport 90 million people per year in the future.
It is also working on the development of the Riyadh metro network, which will serve 40 stations in the coming years. Two fully automated lines will be operated by the CAMCO, a joint venture between SAPTCO (20%) and the French company RATP (80%).
The Saudi French Business Council (CAFS) is proud to count Mr. Al-Hogail as one of the members of its Executive Committee and thanks SAPTCO for its continuous support. We also believe that great synergies exist with other French companies for future cooperation to meet the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.