Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Commuters in Riyadh and Jeddah will have a new public transport service starting Tuesday, according to an announcement by the higher committee on public transport.

The fare has been fixed at SR3 per trip.

Drivers who were earlier driving the ubiquitous haflas (mini-buses) on the Khat Al-Balad (downtown route) have been asked to either work with the Saudi Public Transport Company (Saptco) on monthly salaries or obtain loans from the Social Development Bank to start their own business.

Those who fail to join Saptco or get loans will be made to join the government’s program on social security so as to receive regular financial assistance, the committee said.

The Khat Al-Balad service was cancelled by the Council of Ministers earlier this year and was substituted by a modern public transport system.

The Riyadh public transport system will be administered by a national company under the supervision of the High Commission for the Development of Riyadh while in Jeddah it will be supervised by the Metro Jeddah Company.

The public transport committee, constituted by the Council of Ministers, is chaired by the chief of the Public Transport Authority (PTA) and includes representatives from the ministries of labor and social development, municipal and rural affairs and the Director General of Traffic.

The committee asked citizens and expatriates to benefit from this new service and to provide it with their remarks and observations.