JEDDAH: Al Jazirah Transport Co., founded by Ali Hassan Naqoor in 1992, is a pioneer in the transportation of foreign Haj and Umrah pilgrims.
“The Kingdom has made a giant leap in pilgrim transportation in recent years. With fleets of buses owned by domestic companies, Car Syndicate has under its disposal the largest fleet of buses in the Middle East dedicated to serve pilgrims. This year, the syndicate has also achieved self-sufficiency and no longer needs to borrow buses from neighboring countries as was done over the past years,” said Naqoor, the company’s president.
Al Jazirah has become a model for other developing countries, said Naqoor, who is also the chairman of the National Committee for Transport at the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and a member of Car Syndicate, the body that controls the domestic transport of foreign pilgrims.
“In the past two years alone, the company pumped SR350 million into buying hundreds of high-tech buses of the latest models, including 200 Mercedes buses,” he said. “The company, which had a humble beginning with 100 buses to transport foreign pilgrims in 1992, acquired a fleet of 1,500 buses in just five years. The company currently has 2,000 buses,” he added.
“The company’s development has not just focused on enlarging its fleet. We have also taken steps to improve the quality and performance of our workers. Our motto is ‘dedication and excellent performance,’” he said.
The company has accumulated vast experience over the past 16 years and is fully confident of its ability to offer the best service to pilgrims and other customers.
Naqoor, a native of Makkah, is happy over his company’s role in serving millions of Haj pilgrims. He said Al Jazirah is a pioneer in providing maximum comfort to pilgrims by providing vehicles that are air-conditioned, and have refrigerators, television screens and toilets.
Some of the buses are elegantly designed for VIP use. Large luxury buses are also imported from European and Asian manufacturers. Chinese-made buses are suitable for large groups on long trips, he said.
Besides large buses, Al Jazirah Transport Co. has fleets of small buses of varying sizes and GMC cars that are suitable for small groups and families. The cars are elegantly upholstered and air-conditioned to guarantee comfort and safety. “ Al Jazirah Transport Co. is proud to offer luxury service to pilgrims inside the holy sites, and between the cities of Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah,” said Hassan Naqoor, the company’s vice president. “Apart from undertaking pilgrim transportation, the company also hires its buses to government departments and private organizations on a contract basis,” he said.
He attributed the company’s success to the management’s minute attention to detail and the dedication of its workers. “The activities of the company is linked to Car Syndicate and the Ministry of Haj ... The company’s administrative headquarters are in Jeddah and it has an operations center in Makkah,” he added.
