Truck Owners Syndicate laments Saudi entry rules

AMMAN — Tuckers will lose around JD600 million if Saudi authorities move forward with their decision to prohibit the entry of trucks older than 20 years (manufactured before 2000) into Saudi Arabia, according to Mohammad Al Daoud, the president of the Truck Owners Syndicate

Out of the 22,000 locally licensed trucks, around 3,000 trucks operating on the international transport line for the Arab Gulf states will be directly affected by the decision, Daoud told The Jordan Times on Wednesday. 

“We have requested the government to allow truck owners to replace old trucks with newer ones without incurring fees or taxes. Additionally, we requested that new trucks be exempted from customs to encourage owners to replace them,” Daoud said. 

 He indicated that many truck models have been modified and updated, as external transportation requires modern trucks.

“Most of trucks were updated and renewed between 2010 and 2015, so they are newer than what is indicated in the registration. All trucks are perfectly equipped to transport goods both locally and internationally,” he added. 

 The 3,000 affected vehicles include trucks for the transportation of refrigerated goods, general cargo, containers, small cars, petroleum products, livestock, among others, according to Daoud. 

The implementation of the decision will result in at least 1,000 trucks leaving the sector every year, Daoud said noting that the total investment in the transport sector stands currently at between JD1 billion and JD700 million.  

Daoud urged the government to approach Saudi authorities to halt the immediate implementation of the decision and instead give Jordanian truckers a five-year grace period to adapt to the updated rules. 

“We are hoping for a positive response from the Saudi authorities, especially as the agricultural season is approaching. We hope for a fast reversal of the decision so that trucks older than 20 years can continue to operate,” Daoud added.