The Algerian government has decided to leverage digital technologies to solve the country's transport issues. Last month, the Minister of Transport announced the launch of a new electronic platform interconnecting more than 40 public transport services.

Algeria’s Minister of Higher Education Kamel Baddari announced, yesterday, the launch of “MyBus”, a mobile app developed to allow students to monitor the university transport network in real-time. 

The application -operational starting from October 23, 2022,-  is a modern tool that aims “to improve the quality of university services [...] to create a conducive academic environment for students,” the Transport Minister said before the national assembly’s transport committee. 

Since 2009, students have been complaining about mobility conditions, including disruption in university bus schedules and a serious lack of buses in some areas. Last April, a group of students enrolled at the University of Mouloud-Mammeri demanded the allocation of buses to resolve a crisis that has affected students for years.

With “Mybus”, the Ministry of Higher Education is trying to address some of the challenges pointed out, notably concerning the mobility of students living in rural areas. Initially, the app will cover ten routes and 26 buses out of the 5,749 dedicated to academic mobility.  But, according to Minister Baddari, it will cover the whole university network before the end of the ongoing academic year. 

“The app will give students [schooling in Algerian Universities] a real-time overview of the academic transport network and schedules,” he explained. 

The new app is in line with authorities’ efforts to modernize the academic mobility sector to improve students’ living conditions and reduce public expenditures in that segment. 

Samira Njoya