المملكة: 5 amendments to transportation activities…and a mandatory professional test for bus drivers

The Board of Directors approved General Authority for Transport Five regulatory packages to amend the conditions of Land Transport, requiring bus drivers to pass a “professional competency” test, to unify requirements and raise safety standards.

The amendments included public bus transportation activities within cities, their rental and brokerage, international transportation, local agent, and educational transportation, in addition to specialized transportation activity.

The decisions stipulated amending paragraph “1/d” in the regulating articles, to require that drivers obtain a “professional driver’s card” through a mechanism linked to the launch of the qualification program.

She explained The Authoritythat the obligation will begin for drivers who have valid cards as of the date of their expiry, immediately after the official launch of the vocational rehabilitation program.

The amendments clarified the application of competency requirements, immediately after the launch of the program, to drivers who do not have a card, or those who hold expired cards.

The Authority confirmed that this unified regulatory step directly aims to raise the efficiency of working personnel and improve operational safety levels in various activities.

She pointed out that qualifying drivers according to approved professional standards contributes to raising the quality of services provided and ensuring the safety of beneficiaries.

At the conclusion of its decisions, the Authority stressed that they will enter into force from the date of their issuance, provided that they are published in the “Official Gazette” to ensure clarity of procedures.