The Saudi Transport Authority Is Giving Drivers More Resting Hours And Anyone That Overworks Them Can Be Penalised

The Public Transportation Authority (PTA) has announced new rules for truck drivers to now only work a maximum of nine hours a day, totalling to 56 hours a week with enough intervals to rest in between. 

The decision was made so that truck drivers in the Kingdom can get adequate rest to ensure they aren’t exhausted, and will drive safely and securely- according to Saudi Gazette.

A fine between SAR 2,000 and SAR 5,000 can be fined to anyone who violates the new rule 

And a way to determine the hours that drivers work will be through an installation of an electronic device in the vehicles to monitor its movement. The device will be launched very soon to ensure that drivers don’t work beyond nine hours. 

The only justified exception to this are emergency situations where the driver could work 10 hours a day but only twice in one week. 

Drivers are expected to be able to rest for 11 hours daily, with a rest time of 45 minutes after every four and a half hours of driving, as reported by Saudi Gazette.