Drivers who transport schoolchildren in their own private vehicles will have to get a license from the Transport Ministry, a senior Education Ministry official told Arab News on Monday.

The Transport, Education and Interior Ministries have joined forces to come up with the new regulations, which will ensure that drivers who work on their own account are held accountable for their actions.

“In addition, vehicles should not be older than 10 years,” said the official.

Though several private schools provide transport for students, many parents who are too busy to drive their children to school still opt for private drivers who usually own their own vans.

Many of these drivers have stepped in to fill the gap in the dire transport shortage facing most community-run schools in the face of increased demand.

“Vehicles will be required to comply with safety and technical specifications stipulated by the Transport Ministry and drivers will be required to be under the sponsorship of a transport company,” he said.

Authorities will intensify field inspections near school premises and take action against drivers who violate the new regulations. Schools, whether private or community-run, will also be reported to relevant authorities for allowing violators onto their premises.

Some drivers place stickers on their cars to indicate that they take children to school, attracting a lot of customers.

Drivers have been lucky since inspections have focused on netting illegal expats so far and thanks to the fact that demand for transport remains high.

Though the overall number of drivers has decreased since the launch of the legalization campaign, business for these men is still going strong in Jeddah and other cities, according to sources.

The new transport regulations also aim to increase the number of Saudi citizens working in the private transport sector. “Still, parents generally prefer expat drivers to take care of their children,” sources added.

“Authorities have also prohibited the use of school buses to transport pilgrims during Haj,” said the official.