Muscat: The Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology (MTCIT) have reported more than 1,440 violations of illegal transportation by expatriate workers.
The Ministry also monitored 546 violations of transporting and delivering goods without a license by expatriate workers; Which is in violation of the Land Transport Law issued by Royal Decree 10/2016.
A fine of RO200 is imposed on the drivers by the ministry officials if caught and booked for illegal transportation.
The Ministry called on companies and individuals in the Sultanate of Oman to adhere to the Land Transport Law as it will continue to implement its inspection and control campaigns.
Under the Land Transport Law issued in 2016, practicing any type of land transportation activities (including those managed by expatriates) is prohibited.
Authorities have been cracking down on unauthorized taxis as part of the plans to regulate the public transport system in the capital.
As a public service, it is essential to regulate any kind of transportation activity, especially those connected to ferrying school children and tourists to and from the airport, according to authorities concerned with the implementation of these regulations under the Land Transport Law.
"We are concerned with school transportation due to safety concerns though most of the school bus operators are licensed. We are not against anyone dropping a friend or a relative or their children to the school or airport. It is easy to find out whether someone is doing it for business or not," sources in the MTCIIT told the Observer.
The Land Transport Law promulgated by a Royal Decree was expected to regulate one of the highly unorganized sectors by organizing the contracts and documents for land transport to ensure the safety of passengers and goods and the compensation in the case of loss or damage to the cargo registered in the transport document.
The law states that the ministry should oversee land transport activities.
The ministry's Naql online platform offers the one-stop place for licensing, permits, and vehicle registration for individuals, companies, and institutions, including school buses, taxis, and trucks.
The platform, available through a website and an app, is integrated with the Royal Oman Police and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Investment Promotion (MOCI) Invest Easy e-service for swift verification purposes.
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