JEDDAH — During field monitoring campaigns by different teams, the Transport General Authority (TGA) has detected illicit contracts between some private sector companies and foreign trucks. In a letter to the Council of Saudi Chambers, the TGA said it has detected flagrant violations of transport regulations in the Kingdom wherein some private sector companies were found to be in contract with foreign trucks. It noted that these contracts negatively affect investment in the transport sector, influential Arabic daily Okaz said on Monday. The TGA said it was in receipt of a letter from the ministry of commerce pointing out the use of foreign vehicles in internal transport. The letter stressed that the practice negatively impacts the security and regulatory aspects. Additionally, the letter said, it was difficult to monitor transportation and detect violations. Subsequently, the Council of Saudi Chambers has called on commercial and industrial sector investors not to enter into contract with foreign trucks for internal transport operations, and not to load goods and products onto foreign trucks for transport within the Kingdom. Bandar Al-Jabri, a member of the Board of Directors of the Asharqia Chamber, held foreign truck drivers responsible for smashing prices to extremely low levels, and calling for the necessity to establish legal measures to prevent them from carrying out intra-Kingdom transport activities. He also called on land transport sector authorities to protect the regular road transport companies and crack down on illegal companies.
