Algeria's Jijel province has received 30 new buses for urban and peri-urban routes, part of a national fleet renewal programme aiming to modernise public transport and improve service coverage across the country.
Algeria's Jijel province has taken delivery of 30 new buses, marking a significant step in the government's ongoing effort to modernise the national public transport fleet. The new vehicles, intended for both urban and peri-urban routes, are part of a broader initiative led by the presidency and overseen by the Ministry of the Interior, Local Authorities and Transport, currently headed by Saïd Sayoud.
The delivery includes 20 Mercedes-Sprinter minibuses, each with a capacity of 24 passengers, designed for secondary and less-trafficked routes, and 10 larger Higer buses capable of carrying 35 passengers. The vehicles were supplied by the Entreprise de développement de l'industrie du véhicule (EDIV), with the aim of matching vehicle size to actual demand and reducing inefficiencies on underutilised lines. This approach aligns with the minister's previously stated strategy of deploying a range of bus sizes, from 24 to 100 seats, tailored to the specific needs of urban, mountainous, or Saharan regions.
Operational Coordination and National Rollout
To facilitate the transfer of the new buses to Jijel, drivers from public transport companies in Algiers and Tiaret were temporarily assigned to the task, highlighting the sector's internal cooperation. This logistical support enabled a swift deployment and is seen by officials as a practical example of complementarity among Algeria's public transport enterprises, especially during large-scale distribution operations.
The Jijel delivery forms part of a national programme targeting the acquisition of 10,000 new buses, with 6,800 sourced from international partners. Major cities such as Annaba, Algiers, and Constantine have already received new vehicles, and the process has involved multiple shipments arriving at Algerian ports throughout the year. The Directorate of Military Industries has managed the reception and allocation of these vehicles to various provinces.
Extending Modernisation to Interior Provinces
Following initial deliveries to metropolitan areas, the programme's second phase is now reaching 16 interior provinces, including Jijel. The Ministry of the Interior announced this expansion in August, aiming to address the ageing state of public transport fleets in many regions. The strategy is to distribute resources more evenly, rather than concentrating them in major cities, and to systematically replace outdated vehicles with modern alternatives.
This wave of investment in public transport infrastructure mirrors broader regional trends in transport modernisation. For example, Mauritania is also advancing its own vehicle registration and licensing systems, as detailed in a recent report on Mauritania's plans to digitise driving licences and vehicle registration. Such developments reflect a wider push across North Africa to improve mobility, administrative efficiency, and service quality in the transport sector.
As Algeria continues to roll out new buses across its provinces, the focus will remain on monitoring the impact of these investments on service reliability, passenger satisfaction, and the operational efficiency of public transport networks nationwide.
