Fines of 20,000 riyals... The Transport Authority apprehends 1,417 violators in one week

The Public Transport Authority in Saudi Arabia continued its intensive inspection campaigns to regulate the land transport sector, announcing the apprehension of 1,417 violators of transport regulations during the period from Saturday to Friday (December 13-19). These campaigns are part of the Authority's efforts to enforce compliance with new regulations and laws aimed at organizing the sector and eliminating the phenomenon of unregulated transport.

Details of the violations detected

The authority explained in its statement that the violations that were detected ranged from actually carrying out the activity to the preparatory work for it, where the following were seized:

• 799 violators engaged in "calling" or preparatory work to attract passengers and used their private vehicles without a license.
• 618 violators were caught transporting passengers in their private vehicles in irregular ways, which is known locally as the “Kaddada” phenomenon.

The necessary legal procedures were immediately applied to the violators, which included impounding vehicles and imposing deterrent fines, in continuous cooperation with the security and concerned authorities in various regions of the Kingdom.

Context of organizing the transport sector and its importance

These decisive measures come within a broader context related to the National Transport and Logistics Strategy , which is one of the pillars of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. The transport sector has suffered for years from the haphazard use of private cars as taxis without controls, which has negatively affected the quality of service provided and the competitiveness of licensed companies.

This organization aims to achieve several strategic gains, including:

• Enhancing safety: Ensuring the security and safety of passengers through the use of licensed and monitored means of transport.
• Supporting the economy: Protecting investments in the transportation sector (taxi companies and smart transportation applications) from unfair competition.
• Improving the urban landscape: Reducing the congestion and chaos caused by "Kaddada" vehicles at airports and city entrances.

Penalties under the new land transport system

The authority based its penalties on the new Land Transport System on roads, issued by Royal Decree No. (M/188) dated (24/08/1446 AH), which put an end to irregular practices through severe penalties that include:

• Violation of "calling out": A financial penalty of up to 11,000 riyals with the vehicle being impounded for 25 days upon repetition.
• Violation of illegal transportation: A fine of up to 20,000 riyals and impounding the vehicle for up to 60 days.
• Additional measures: The possibility of selling the offending vehicle at a public auction, in addition to the penalty of deportation for non-Saudis in case of repeated violations.

The Public Transport Authority called on all citizens and residents to comply with the regulations and bylaws, and to review the details of the land transport system through its official website, stressing that these steps are necessary to raise compliance rates and improve the quality of life in the Kingdom’s cities.