Transport Authority: 437,000 inspections and 90,000 violations in January

The Public Transport Authority in Saudi Arabia continued its intensive efforts to regulate and control the transport and logistics sector, announcing that its inspection teams conducted more than 437,735 field inspections during January. These inspections covered various land, sea, and rail transport activities, resulting in the detection of 90,295 violations, in a move aimed at enhancing compliance with regulations and raising safety and quality standards.

Strategic context: Transportation within Vision 2030

These intensified monitoring campaigns are part of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, a key pillar of Saudi Vision 2030. Through these stringent measures, the Authority aims to transform the Kingdom into a global logistics hub and ensure a safe and reliable transportation environment. These efforts extend beyond simply detecting violations; they also encompass improving the urban landscape, reducing carbon emissions by ensuring vehicle safety, and supporting legitimate investors by eliminating unlicensed transportation.

Performance indicators and compliance rates

The statistical index issued by the authority showed a disparity in inspection and compliance figures between different sectors:

• Land transport accounted for the largest share of operations with 430,066 inspections, achieving a compliance rate of 93%. This sector also recorded the vast majority of violations with 90,281 infractions, and 1,045 vehicles were impounded for failing to comply with regulations and technical requirements.
• Maritime transport: 7,574 inspections were carried out, with a very high compliance rate of 99%, as only 14 violations were detected.
• Rail transport: A perfect score of 100% compliance was recorded during 95 inspections, reflecting a high commitment to safety standards in the railway sector.

Geographical distribution of violations

The data revealed that the Makkah region topped the list of areas with the highest number of recorded violations, which is attributed to the high density of transportation activities related to serving pilgrims and visitors, where it recorded:

• Makkah Al-Mukarramah: 30,354 violations.
• Riyadh: 24,831 violations.
• Eastern Province: 11,301 violations.
• Madinah: 6,039 violations.
• Asir: 4,032 violations.

Major violations and their impact on safety

The violations detected ranged from technical to regulatory issues, most notably the failure to meet safety requirements in vehicles, which poses a direct danger to road users. The inspection teams also focused on combating the phenomenon of unlicensed taxi services, or transporting passengers in private vehicles without a license, as well as operating without a valid driver's license or with expired operating permits.

The Public Transport Authority affirms that the application of regulatory penalties aims primarily to protect the rights of beneficiaries, ensure fair competition in the market, and raise operational efficiency in line with the comprehensive development that the Kingdom is witnessing in all sectors.