‘Licensing of ride-hailing apps about to be given green light’

AMMAN — Licensing requirements for ride-hailing apps Uber and Careem are at the final stages, and will be announced imminently, an official said on Wednesday. 

Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC) Director General Salah Lozi revealed that some of the requirements will stipulate that the driver be Jordanian and have no criminal record. 

Lozi said the apps will limit work to either yellow taxis or cars with special licence plates identifying both companies, Uber and Careem. 

No cars with private licences will be allowed to work through the apps, he noted. 

Over 1,200 yellow taxi drivers have benefited so far from working with the ride hailing apps, Lozi claimed. 

MP Khaled Abu Hassan, head of the Lower House transport committee, said that licensing the apps is a positive step and will make “good” returns relative to the sector’s size. 

There are around 17,000 taxis in Jordan, 11,000 of which are in Amman, according to official figures.

Such apps have several facilities and new options, are easy to use and are able to be controlled and regulated, Abu Hassan said. 

“The smart taxi will expand, just like it has done in Amman, when people started using the apps,” the lawmaker said, noting that the committee will meet representatives from Uber and Careem soon. 

Collaboration between the Transport Ministry, the LTRC and the Lower House aim to serve the country and citizens, to ease the work of any affected sector, Abu Hassan noted.