Several Saudis here are illegally transporting Umrah pilgrims between Jeddah and Makkah, Arab News has found.

Many are making more money now because of the surge in pilgrims during the holy month of Ramadan.

Most Umrah pilgrims gather at a particular point in Kilo 8 in Jeddah where Saudi drivers wait for them. Each car can take from four to eight people and pilgrims have to cough up SR50 for a one-way trip.

Pilgrims complain that these drivers have cars that are not roadworthy and likely to break down at any time.

Many Umrah visitors are apprehensive about dealing with Saudi drivers because they are independent and not affiliated to any transport company.

"I have been transporting Umrah pilgrims between Makkah and Jeddah for the past three years, but my earnings are the highest during Ramadan when the number of pilgrims increases dramatically. That is when most Saudi drivers increase their rates by 50 percent," Abdullah Al-Zahrani, a Saudi driver, told Arab News.

"I work for a private company from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but at night I use my private car to transport domestic Umrah visitors who gather at the Kilo 8 site. I make three trips a day," Saeed Rihan, a Saudi driver, told Arab News.

Khaled Saleh, an Eritrean Umrah pilgrim who lives in Jeddah, told Arab News that he was looking for a car for three hours to take him home, but the Saudi drivers were demanding SR100 for the trip.

Transport companies say that there are too few drivers during the busy Umrah and Haj seasons and have called on the Ministry of Labor to issue them seasonal visas for bus drivers.

Jeddah’s traffic police have warned private vehicle owners from working as chauffeurs during Ramadan. The police plan to set up checkpoints across the city’s streets and neighborhoods.

"This will be considered a traffic violation," said Brig. Gen. Zaid Al-Hamzi, spokesman of the traffic police. "Violators will be fined SR300 and have their vehicles impounded for 15 days."