Khaberni - The Land Transport Regulatory Commission issued new instructions on Monday to regulate passenger transport using smart applications for the year 2025, aiming to control the operations of service providers, drivers, and vehicles, and ensuring their compliance with regulatory and technical requirements.
The instructions published in the Official Gazette define the general framework for the operation of companies managing smart applications and grant the authority the power to supervise, follow up, and prevent any non-compliant practices.
The instructions require service providers to obtain approval from the authority before operating and to provide it with accurate data about the drivers and vehicles, in addition to linking application systems with tracking data (GPS) and electronic payment, and requiring the display of driver and trip information clearly through the application.
The instructions also require drivers to adhere to technical and behavioral specifications, not to use the vehicle for unauthorized purposes, and prohibit the operation by any unlicensed individual.
The instructions also emphasize the importance of carrying a QR identification card issued by the authority and displaying it upon request.
The instructions included detailed clauses about passenger rights, including adhering to transparency in pricing, preventing the imposition of any undeclared additional charges, and ensuring no misuse of personal data or sharing passenger information without consent.
The instructions included special provisions on penalties, allowing the authority to impose financial fines for violations, starting from 20 dinars up to 200 dinars depending on the type of violation, covering operating an unlicensed vehicle, tampering with trip pricing, or violating safety conditions.
The authority is also granted the power to suspend a service provider or a driver from work or to temporarily or permanently withdraw the license in case of repeated violations or in the event of committing violations affecting public safety.
The instructions confirm the necessity of the driver's polite interaction with passengers, not using any offensive language, ensuring passenger safety during the trip, not falsifying any data, in addition to adhering to the official tariff and not exceeding or reducing it without approval.
Article 12 of the instructions, states that the service provider must do the following:
Conduct a daily inspection of the vehicle before driving it, including the lights, tires, body, and seats, keeping inspection records and reporting any detected malfunction to the licensee.
Ensure the availability of first aid kits and fire extinguishers in the car.
Prepare the car before and after every transition for orders, while maintaining cleanliness and maintenance.
Refrain from eating, smoking, or allowing others to use the phone while driving.
Prohibit smoking inside the car and prevent others from smoking within it.
Carry an identification card according to the specifications set by the General Director, which includes the name of the service provider, the license number, and the vehicle number.
Refrain from insulting passengers or using profanity, swearing at them, or harming them.
Behave politely and respectfully with passengers, and ensure their safety during transport.
Commit to not falsifying any data while providing the service.
Charge a fee based on the bases and mechanism for calculating wages approved by the council, without exceeding or reducing it.
Not to use any other car than the one authorized for providing passenger transport services through smart applications.
