Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser has approved 100 percent Saudization in ride-hailing services based on applications. All jobs in this sector done using private vehicles or operated by establishments will be limited to Saudis.

Al-Jasser, who is also the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Public Transport Authority, affirmed that the total Saudization of this sector comes as part of creating more job opportunities for young Saudi men and women. He noted that foreigners working in this sector amount to only four percent.

According to the minister, the authority has launched many initiatives and taken several measures to create more jobs for Saudis in this sector by forging successful partnerships with many government agencies, including the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Human Resources Development Fund.

The most prominent of these initiatives and measures include amending the traffic law so as to enable Saudis to operate private ride-hailing vehicles. The ministry also signed an agreement with the Social Development Bank to finance private vehicles to operate in this sector in addition to signing an agreement with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the Human Resources Development Fund to support Saudis with 40 percent of income, not exceeding SR2,400, for those who operate certain trips during peak times.