Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The Public Transport Authority (PTA) has issued bylaws for family transportation service offered by female drivers, Al-Madina Arabic newspaper reported on Sunday.

All family transportation service providers must fulfill three conditions: the driver must be a Saudi woman, she must have a proper driving license, should be free of any contagious disease and have no criminal records.

Saudi female drivers of family transport service should only operate in the city where the license was issued.

Saudi female drivers should refrain from providing transportation service if there are only male passengers and if a male passenger or a child sits in the front seat.

A fine of SR5,000 will be imposed if a Saudi female driver provides family transportation service without the presence of an adult female passenger. A fine of SR5,000 will be imposed if the driver is a non-Saudi woman.

Driving a vehicle in a city other than the one where the license was issued will incur a fine of SR500.

A fine of SR2,000 will be imposed if a male passenger or a child is allowed to sit in the front seat.

The bylaws stipulated 11 conditions for the vehicle to be used in family transportation service. The vehicle should be at least 7-seater, it should have efficient air-conditioning, the color and appearance of the vehicle should be in accordance with the requirements, the vehicle should not be more than 5 years old, each vehicle must have a tracking device, there should be an identification screen, it should have electronic point-of-sale machine for accepting payment electronically.