Sunday, December 7, 2025
Saudi Arabia Targets Illegal Ride Services: 1,278 Violators Caught in One Week
A total of 1,278 people were arrested last week (from Saturday to Friday) for being involved in illegal passenger transportation. These arrests were made during raids carried out by inspection teams from the Transport General Authority (TGA), working together with other government agencies across different regions of the Kingdom. Recommend: Saudi Ministry of Commerce Sets SR500 Fine for Not Disclosing Beneficial Owner Data
The arrested individuals were caught operating passenger transport services without a license. According to the TGA:
➤ 586 violators were found calling out to passengers and offering rides using their private vehicles without a license.
➤ 692 violators were caught transporting passengers illegally in their private vehicles.
These inspection campaigns are part of the TGA’s ongoing work to improve competition in the transport sector and protect the quality and safety of transport services. As a result, legal actions were taken against violators, including vehicle impoundment and fines, to reduce illegal practices.
The new Road Transport Law clearly bans operating transport services without a valid license. For repeated violations, penalties can include:
🔘 Fines up to SR11,000
🔘 Vehicle impoundment for 25 days (for actions like soliciting passengers)
For those operating unlicensed transport services, penalties can be even higher:
👉 Fines up to SR20,000
👉 Vehicle impoundment for up to 60 days
👉 The vehicle may be sold at a public auction
👉 Non-Saudis may be deported if the violation happens again. See Also: Updated Rules, Timings and Permit Guide for visiting Rawdah Al Sharifa in Prophet's Mosque
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| Saudi Arabia Targets Illegal Ride Services 1,278 Violators Caught in One Week |
