Expats encounter difficulties at driving schools

RIYADH: Expatriates seeking driving license have accused the driving schools in the Kingdom with unnecessarily delaying things and, in some cases, seeking bribe. This issue particularly a major problem for those whose jobs demand driving license.
If a driver possesses a license from his home country, trainers in the driving schools have to determine the level of his skills and, upon passing the skills test, he has to attend a lecture on traffic signs and then clear the final test. However, the time taken in fulfilling these formalities — 10 days to a month — is a matter of concern, as the license seekers, especially those in the sales field, have alleged that the same can be done more quickly.
Speaking to Arab News, Mahmoud Talaat, an Egyptian, said it took him a month to get his license.
He alleged that he suffered a lot at the hands of certain employees of the driving schools who sought bribe.
Elam M., a taxi driver, waited for 28 days to get his license while Mohammed H., a sales representative, said he paid extra money to get his license within a day to save his job.
Moamen T., a medical representative in Jeddah, said that when he first applied for license, it took 25 days till the exam. “However, someone approached me and asked for additional money in order to pass the exam the following day.”
An expert said driving schools have to speed up the procedures so that licenses can be issued in a shorter period of time in view of the pace of development in the Kingdom.