Residents living within 15 kilometres of Mushrif Mall can now hop on a bus for a free round trip to and from their homes. Two new blue buses, bearing the logos for the mall and Department of Transport, that will provide free transport to the mall, were launched on Monday. The aim of the free service is to reduce congestion in the area and save shoppers the hassle of finding a taxi, said Mohammed Al Muhairi, executive director of public transport at DoT's Integrated Transport Center. One of the buses operates within a 10km radius from the mall and the second within 15km, serving homes in Muroor and Mushrif. The buses will cover routes not serviced public buses and will operate during the mall's opening hours, 10am to 10pm. Officials expect the new service will mean fewer shoppers will drive to the mall, leading to reduced traffic and carbon emissions. There are plans to expand the bus routes to serve neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the city. "The free and comfortable bus service to Mushrif Mall is a campaign that outreaches to the community and takes an initial step to promote sustainable and eco-friendly living in Abu Dhabi," said Yusuffali M. A, chairman and managing director of Lulu Group. "We hope that popularity of the service will prompt other malls to implement similar green initiatives." The bus route can be found at the entrance of Mushrif Mall and at the new bus stops.