Commission to impose fines on unlicensed drivers of ride-hailing vehicles

AMMAN — Fines will be imposed on drivers working for unlicensed ride-hailing applications, with the aim of creating fair competition in the land transport sector, according to the Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC).

In cooperation with the Taxi Drivers Association, the Central Traffic Department and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Department, the new “strict measures” will counter the recent growth of unlicensed raid-hailing applications, LTRC CEO Salah Al Louzi said in a statement provided to The Jordan Times on Thursday.

The commission, he noted, has established a supervisory committee designated to follow up action towards “genuine partnership” with the Taxi Drivers Association and meeting the demands of its representatives and members, in addition to pursuing neutrality between ride-hailing applications and yellow taxi drivers.  

The Taxi Drivers Association is calling for the implementation of agreements, Deputy President Ahmad Judu told The Jordan Times on Thursday, adding that “durable” decisions must be taken to eliminate unfair practices and revitalise the yellow taxi industry.

“The growing ride-hailing sector has a huge detrimental effect on yellow taxis, and our demands have been approved but have not been carried out,” Judu said.

Over 30 sit-ins conducted by yellow taxi drivers and owners have repeatedly called on the Ministry of Transport to enter into constructive implementation of the sector’s nine requests, including increasing the prices of cars using applications by 30 per cent, removing applications’ promotional offers, restructuring the supervisory committee and, “most importantly”, requiring the use of stickers on the rear window of vehicles using applications to show that they are licensed, the deputy president noted.

The number of ride-hailing vehicles has surpassed 13,000 vehicles and there are 20,000 unlicensed drivers, according to the LTRC’s most recent statements.

According to Judu, these numbers are increasing, making an inclusive solution necessary.

Earlier this month, Minister of Transport Khaled Saif said in a press statement that new measures by the ministry to counter unlicensed applications will include activating the role of the Pubic Security Department and the Traffic Police in spotting and stopping any vehicle employed by unlicensed applications.

On a digital front, the ministry also tackles the issue by monitoring and blocking unlicensed applications’ online presence, according to Saif.

The LTRC’s supervisory committee had been tasked with controlling the spread of such applications, which Saif said at the time only amount to one illegal and unlicensed application.

The committee also began an information campaign appealing to all drivers working with an unlicensed company to familiarise themselves with the legal consequences of operating in a “wrongful and unlawful manner”.

Any driver who works for unlicensed companies or a single individual violator will “expose themselves to legal liability, which will amount to their transfer to the judiciary and the seizure of their vehicles”, the minister stated.