Planning of National Transport Infrastructure
In the Islamic Countries
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3.6.6. Data Collection Method
Although there is no NTP in Oman, there is a national transport model. The Oman National
Transport Model (ONTM) was prepared as part of the Oman National Spatial Strategy, to support
the establishment of an effective transport system to enable sustainable development in the
country. With the aim of ensuring accuracy in planning and decision making, the Oman National
Transport Survey (ONTS) aimed to generate accurate data for application in the transport
sector. It is very good that spatial planning informs transport planning. The ONTS as undertaken
in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Communications and Royal Oman Police.
The ONTS included a range of field surveys carried out in all governorates of the Sultanate
including interviewing commuters at various transport terminals (bus, airport, seaports,
borders crossings), people at their homes, businesses, in their cars, in taxis or on buses. The
ONTS included:
Field Traffic Surveys: Automatic Traffic Counts (ATC), Turning Movement Counts (TMC),
Journey Time Surveys (JTS),) and Manual Classified Counts (MCCs).
Behavioural Surveys: Household Interview Surveys (HIS), Roadside Interview Surveys (RSI),
Stated Preference Surveys (SP), Behavioural Surveys (Agencies, Enterprises, Hotels), Passenger
Terminal Surveys (Ports, Airports and Borders).
Public Transport Surveys: Bus Terminal Surveys, In Vehicle (Bus) Surveys, Passenger Demand
Surveys and Spot Measurements, Public Transport User Opinion Surveys, Taxi Surveys of
Operators, Taxi Surveys of Users.
The information generated by the ONTS was used to build amathematical model of the transport
network and transport use in order to identify and predict transport requirements for the
future. The ONTM enabled good planning measures to be identified and different travel options
to be developed.
3.6.7. Monitoring System
International expertise indicates that the sound execution of public policies depends to a large
extent on the presence of stable systems of monitoring and evaluation. Also, it depends on
quantitative key performance indicators (KPIs) for measuring performance. In addition, follow-
up and evaluation is a necessary condition for drawing out the lessons learned from the
implementation of the policies, plans and programs to improve their path in the future. In this
context, a mechanismwas created in the SCP (the “Tanfeedh” program) to undertake the process
of follow-up of implementation of the 9th Plan. That evaluation is considered an essential
component of planning is very progressive.
The SCP also requires that the impact of transport projects on the diversification program be
systematically evaluated. The SCP requires ministries to produce the KPIs to measure the impact
of the 9th Plan in all its dimensions. The principle of the rolling plan was also adopted by the
SCP, which means that the plan is flexible and dynamic. It also indicated that Oman believes that
the future has become much harder to predict - this is profound. Consequently, the SCP requires
a mid-term evaluation for the 9th Plan with the aim of revising the assumptions on which the
Plan was based in light of local, regional and international developments.