12 September 2011
JEDDAH - With the the establishment of 20 new transportation companies, the school transportation cost has declined by 30 percent, said Hussain Al-Olayani, Director General of one of the largest companies involved in school transportation here.
The increase in the number of transportation companies from four some 10 years ago to the present 20 has played a vital role in the reduction of transportation cost which has reduced from SR500 to 350, Al-Olayani added.
Each school transportation establishment is responsible for a certain area in the city. A roundtrip from home to school costs SR150 inside the district, while it costs only SR100 for one-way trip from the school.
Al-Olayan said that he is supporting Nitaqat, the project initiated by the Ministry of Labor to increase the percentage of Saudis in the private sector. However, all transportation companies are facing the problem of Saudization since many Saudis refuse to work as drivers due to social taboo.
Another problem which the recruiters of foreign drivers in the Kingdom are facing is that they have to pay full salaries to drivers even for their four-month break. "Since they are registered as drivers in their visa, they are not allowed to work in any other profession during vacation in schools," Al-Olayani said.
The price hike in the Kingdom also affected the spare parts of buses. While price of tyres has sharply increased from SR90 to SR220, the price of battery increased from SR90 to SR 240, Al-Olayani said.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Credit and Savings Bank has initiated a special loan program to provide school buses for Saudis.
JEDDAH - With the the establishment of 20 new transportation companies, the school transportation cost has declined by 30 percent, said Hussain Al-Olayani, Director General of one of the largest companies involved in school transportation here.
The increase in the number of transportation companies from four some 10 years ago to the present 20 has played a vital role in the reduction of transportation cost which has reduced from SR500 to 350, Al-Olayani added.
Each school transportation establishment is responsible for a certain area in the city. A roundtrip from home to school costs SR150 inside the district, while it costs only SR100 for one-way trip from the school.
Al-Olayan said that he is supporting Nitaqat, the project initiated by the Ministry of Labor to increase the percentage of Saudis in the private sector. However, all transportation companies are facing the problem of Saudization since many Saudis refuse to work as drivers due to social taboo.
Another problem which the recruiters of foreign drivers in the Kingdom are facing is that they have to pay full salaries to drivers even for their four-month break. "Since they are registered as drivers in their visa, they are not allowed to work in any other profession during vacation in schools," Al-Olayani said.
The price hike in the Kingdom also affected the spare parts of buses. While price of tyres has sharply increased from SR90 to SR220, the price of battery increased from SR90 to SR 240, Al-Olayani said.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Credit and Savings Bank has initiated a special loan program to provide school buses for Saudis.
© The Saudi Gazette 2011
