RIYADH: After much confusion, a Traffic Department spokesman has clarified that only those citizens who are registered with Uber or Careem travel services can ferry passengers in their private vehicles. And they can do so within cities and not between cities.
The spokesman was responding to reports that all citizens could ferry passengers in their private cars. That's illegal and a stark violation of the public transportation and traffic laws, he said.
The general directorate for traffic conducts regular inspection campaigns because using private vehicles to transport passengers happens in the absence of security and regulatory controls, posing a hazard on the safety of passengers, in addition to going against traffic regulations.
The Traffic Department also commended the idea of the two transport entities Uber and Careem whose operation was finally agreed upon following high-level discussions between the general directorate of traffic and the Transport Ministry.
The decision to allow private vehicles to transport passengers only within cities was approved by the Transport Ministry as part of a one-year experiment. Relevant authorities will assess its impact on commuters and the Saudi job market and forward their recommendations.
The initiative involves verification of all the information on the driver and his vehicle, as well as the itinerary, through an electronic platform developed by the Ministry of Transport, which enable both the ministry and the Traffic Department to check on the spot the entire transport operation.
The General Directorate for Traffic is working with the Ministry of Transport to evaluate the experience in terms of traffic security, and take the necessary measures to make it concur with laws and regulations, to serve the best interests of the public.
The spokesman was responding to reports that all citizens could ferry passengers in their private cars. That's illegal and a stark violation of the public transportation and traffic laws, he said.
The general directorate for traffic conducts regular inspection campaigns because using private vehicles to transport passengers happens in the absence of security and regulatory controls, posing a hazard on the safety of passengers, in addition to going against traffic regulations.
The Traffic Department also commended the idea of the two transport entities Uber and Careem whose operation was finally agreed upon following high-level discussions between the general directorate of traffic and the Transport Ministry.
The decision to allow private vehicles to transport passengers only within cities was approved by the Transport Ministry as part of a one-year experiment. Relevant authorities will assess its impact on commuters and the Saudi job market and forward their recommendations.
The initiative involves verification of all the information on the driver and his vehicle, as well as the itinerary, through an electronic platform developed by the Ministry of Transport, which enable both the ministry and the Traffic Department to check on the spot the entire transport operation.
The General Directorate for Traffic is working with the Ministry of Transport to evaluate the experience in terms of traffic security, and take the necessary measures to make it concur with laws and regulations, to serve the best interests of the public.
