Up to SR5,000 fine for operating private vehicles as taxis in Saudi Arabia

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Public Transport Authority has listed 35 violations related to public taxi and private vehicles on its national platform, local media reported.

The fines for violations range between SR500 and SR5,000, including SR1,000 fine for operating private taxi by roaming along roads and streets in search of passengers, and SR500 for smoking while driving or traveling in vehicles.

The penalty when an unauthorised person drives the vehicle is SR5,000, while the fine for failure to operate the fare calculation meter at the start of the trip is SR3,000.

A fine up to SR5,000 will be imposed on those operating their private vehicles as a taxi to transport passengers for a fee within or between the cities or to a country other than the country of its registration.

A fine of SR5,000 for making any modification to a vehicle after it has been technically equipped by one of the accredited technical equipment service providers.

Using a vehicle for a period exceeding its approved lifespan or failure in fixing the electronic systems specified by the authority or any other concerned agencies will also be fined up to SR5,000.

The authority will slap a fine of up to SR5,000 on those who fail to equip the vehicle with all technical equipment approved by qualified technical equipment providers.

Those who fail to operate the fare calculation meter at the start of the trip will be slapped a fine of SR3,000 riyals.Practicing public taxi activity with an expired work permit/operating card is a violation that will be subject to a fine of SR3,000.

Those who fail to get their vehicles subject to a technical inspection as directed by the authority will be fined SR2,000.

A fine of SR2,000 riyals will be slapped on those who fail to return lost items and handing them over to their owners or police.

A fine of SR1,000 will be issued against those who refuses to provide or transportation services during working hours. Delay in renewing the operating card of a taxi will be fined SR1,000.

Picking passengers from sidewalks that are not designated for pedestrians on roads, failure to present the licence when requested by traffic police are also violations that each fined SR1,000.

Those who smoke or allow passengers to smoke inside a taxi will be fined SR500. Other violations that subject to a fine of SR500 include violation of passenger’s privacy under any circumstances and non-compliance with public morals and good treatment of passengers.

Others include carelessness in personal hygiene and the driver’s failure to assist persons with disabilities when getting in or out of the vehicle.