Many companies in the transport sector complain of financial losses due to Riyadh Traffic Department's new regulations which require cargo-laden trucks to wait outside the city limits and enter only between 11 P.M. and 5 A.M. on weekdays. Some truck drivers have decided to quit their jobs in protest, a local daily reported. Muhammad Al-Basami, chairman of Transport Sector Committee at Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the new directives have aggravated the situation in the transport sector and lead to big losses. He charged that the problem will get worse if more and more truck drivers quit because they will not work under such circumstances. He called upon the Traffic Department to allow his committee participate in drawing more suitable traffic plans. “This is a business city with airports, factories and ministries. Preventing trucks from entering Riyadh during certain times means that factories should change work hours and times of loading and unloading goods.” Imposing more restrictions and regulations on the transport sector will have its toll on the national economy and might create several problems, he warned. The current traffic plan has negatively impacted the projects of contracting companies. Ready-mix concrete spoils when concrete trucks are held for long hours, leading to construction delays. He also warned that similar problems will spill over the food sector because refrigerated trucks would fall under this rule. The climate would contaminate the food in the waiting trucks, Al-Basami said.
