Khaberni - Lawrence Al-Rifai, the spokesperson for transport app drivers, confirmed on Sunday that the main demands of workers in the sector include revisiting the operational lifespan of the vehicles and activating a decision on limiting company commissions, in addition to addressing the issue of "blocks" and the contracts with drivers.
Al-Rifai mentioned to the channel "The Kingdom" that the current conditions impose high operational and financial burdens on drivers, explaining that their demand is to increase the operational lifespan to 10 years, or to count 7 years from the registration date of the vehicle within the app fleet, rather than from the year it was made.
He clarified that a driver who buys a "zero" model from a previous year has the operational lifespan counted from the year of manufacture, which results in consuming part of the allowed period before actually starting to work, raising operational costs and increasing the burdens of loans and interest.
He pointed out that the operational lifespan adopted in Jordan is the shortest compared to other countries, noting that the period extends to 15 years in the United States, 10 years in Saudi Arabia, and 20 years in Egypt, which he says causes Jordanian drivers to bear higher costs over a shorter period.
Regarding commissions, Al-Rifai explained that a decision was issued on January 23, 2026, by the management board of the Land Transport Regulatory Commission, which sets a cap on company commissions between 15% minimum and 22% maximum, yet the decision "has not been activated until now," and the principle of competitiveness between companies continues.
He indicated that some companies deduct commissions reaching 30% and 32% of the driver's net income, exacerbating their financial burdens amid rising costs of licensing, maintenance, vehicle installments, and bank interests, confirming that several drivers faced vehicle seizures or financial difficulties due to these conditions.
Al-Rifai called for the activation of the authority's decision regarding commission caps, arguing that opening the door for investment and granting preliminary approvals for new companies has not effectively reflected in reducing the deduction rates, in the presence of a limited number of existing companies dominating the market in terms of the number of drivers and users.
Regarding pricing, he noted that the system stipulates that the fare for transport via apps should be 20% higher than the rate of a yellow taxi meter, based on a specific formula depending on kilometers, time, and trip start, although some companies do not adhere to these controls and frequently change prices.
He added that the authority requested from the companies to provide it with user access to their systems to review the pricing mechanism, but some companies have not yet complied with providing this access.
Al-Rifai also discussed the issue of "blocks," explaining that the new system stipulates that no driver should be stopped from working unless after consulting the authority, informing it, and taking its opinion, although this procedure is currently not being applied as required.
Regarding contracts, he pointed out that the new instructions stipulate that contracts should be made between the licensed company and the service provider (driver) under the supervision of the authority, but the reality involves electronic contracts presented through the application in the form of "adhesion contracts," which do not allow the driver any option to negotiate or modify, compelling them to agree completely before they can work.
Al-Rifai affirmed that the issue of operational lifespan is one of the most significant concerns for app drivers, due to its direct impact on their work continuity and financial stability, expressing his hope for the new system's provisions to be implemented promptly and to achieve a balance between companies and drivers.
