DAMMAM, 16 October 2003 — Unemployment among Saudi drivers of both light and heavy vehicles is on the increase. The transport industry admits that it has reached alarming levels.
Though the Ministry of Communication has repeatedly emphasized that the sector should be completely Saudized, the final decision is inevitably deferred.
The traffic department admits that the unemployment of Saudi drivers has led to an increase of illegal taxis in the region. Many Saudis in the Eastern Province have been charged with operating private vehicles as taxis.
Last year the government announced its decision to completely Saudize all limousine operations. According to this decision, the companies are required to hire only Saudi drivers.
In fact, the date for complete Saudization has been postponed. At the same time, following a directive from Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, the authorities encouraged a self-employment scheme for Saudi drivers and they were given soft loans.
Some drivers who took advantage of the scheme say that it is difficult to operate and compete with the large companies.
“Having a vehicle and a license is not enough to earn a living,” said Ali, a Saudi youth who has his own limousine and works in Dammam. “There is a Mafia out there and the members will not allow you to survive if you are on your own and do not work for one of them.”
Hadi, another driver, says that it is difficult to compete with Bangladeshi and Indian drivers who charge extremely low prices. “Imagine charging SR2 per passenger from Dammam to Alkhobar — a distance of nearly 22 km. The limousine in fact becomes a shared taxi which is illegal,” he said.
Abdul Munaf Al-Aseeri, who owns a truck, said, “The market is monopolized by expatriates and they will not allow you to survive.”
Transport and limousine companies say that their experience with Saudi drivers has not been encouraging. The companies say that financially it is not viable to hire Saudi drivers as they are more expensive than expatriates.
Most companies do not pay a salary to their drivers; they charge the drivers a fixed daily amount, ranging from SR130 to SR150. Anything more than that amount belongs to the driver.
The companies say that a Saudi will not accept a salary less than SR1,500 and there is no guarantee of minimum earnings. The transport companies say that Saudi drivers never stick to their jobs.
“We hired 150 drivers last year and only 20 are still working,” said the manager of a transport company in the Eastern Province. Some transport companies also complain that Saudi drivers are too temperamental and do not understand the idea of a deadline.
“We had one Saudi driver who was to leave on a particular day. Two days later, he was found asleep at home with the loaded truck parked outside. We can’t do business this way.”
Transport companies agree that it is time to bring in Saudi drivers. They suggest that initially there should be mixed groups of Saudis and expatriates so that Saudis will learn from the expatriates.
