Investments in this sector enable Saudi youths to make money at an early age. The job is characterized by its flexibility in respect of time and place of work. The cheap fuel prices give this sector an extra edge.

The limousine sector has become fundamental, especially with Saudi families demanding trustworthy and reliable drivers. As a result, many Saudi citizens work in this sector.

In many countries of the world, including those with large economies, we find that the majority of taxi drivers are locals, as this profession ensures them with a good income. In the Kingdom, taxi drivers also make a good income, despite the tough competition. Some limousine companies ask the driver to turn in SR140 a day, which means that every limousine car will make almost SR4,500 a month for the company. In addition to this daily amount, a driver will work extra time to get some money for himself. A driver may gain up to SR7,000 if he complies with all procedures, but it is difficult to imagine a citizen making this much income in light of the harsh competition from foreigners who work up to 14 hours a day.

The question is: Can this sector be nationalized to provide more jobs for Saudi citizens? Can it be organized to achieve more benefits to the citizens and the economy?

The sector enjoys the support of the government. The fuel prices are extremely low compared to other countries in the world, especially in light of the current high prices of oil. The consequence of the low fuel prices, however, is that there are too many taxi cars roaming the streets, which means a waste of energy, more traffic congestion and more traffic accidents.

Most foreign taxi drivers work many hours a day to make a good income. They suffer from fatigue and exhaustion, which may also cause traffic accidents. The monopoly of the sector by certain nationalities explains the similarity in prices: There is an undeclared agreement among them on this. The low fuel prices did not bring down the limousine charges, which might be even higher than before.

The sector suffers from weak organization. Here, you may find drivers waiting for a long time at the airport for passengers, while in other countries, the passengers stand in long lines waiting for taxis.

It is therefore imperative to organize this sector with a view to finding more jobs for Saudi youths. The working hours should be limited to six a day. Taxi companies should take the entire daily income and give the drivers a monthly salary, because asking drivers for a certain amount of money every day makes them work more hours than they can bear.

The nutshell is that this sector needs to be better organized to provide more working opportunities for our citizens.