Land Transport Regulatory Commission to monitor smart app fares

The Land Transport Regulatory Commission has announced new measures to monitor and enforce compliance among smart transportation application companies. Following an executive meeting with licensed providers including Uber, Careem, Jeeny, Petra Ride, Gojo, Taxi F, and CAB, the Commission will implement field inspections and simulated trips to verify fare adherence and driver licensing.

To ensure pricing compliance, the Commission will conduct actual trips at various times of the day to check for unauthorized price hikes, particularly during peak hours. Any fare exceeding the approved rate by more than 20% will be considered a violation. Additionally, field teams will perform random trip requests to ensure vehicles are properly licensed and drivers hold the necessary permits.

Penalties for non-compliance are structured based on the frequency of violations. Detecting 10 violations within a week will result in the liquidation of 5,000 dinars from the company's performance bond, while 20 violations will result in a 10,000 dinar penalty. The Commission also noted that any breach of approved pricing could lead to the immediate liquidation of 50,000 dinars from a 100,000 dinar financial guarantee. In return, compliant companies with over 3,000 captains will receive administrative facilities regarding registration installments.