AMMAN —
On Sunday, Deputy Ghazi Al-Badawi, chairman of the
Public Services and Transportation Committee, underscored the urgency of enacting legislation to
address the legal void surrounding unlicensed smart applications.
اضافة اعلان
Al-Mamlaka
TV reported his remarks, which emerged during the committee's discussion on the
contentious issue of unlicensed smart applications, which have stirred debate
due to their impact on
yellow taxi owners.
Badawi
raised pertinent questions and observations during the meeting, seeking
potential solutions to regulate the proliferation of unlicensed smart
applications. He questioned the purported role of the Minister of Digital
Economy and Entrepreneurship in regulating public transportation, the
prevalence of vehicles operating under licensed applications, and their
effectiveness in curbing unlicensed counterparts.
In
response,
Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Ahmed Hanandeh,
acknowledged the price disparity between licensed and unlicensed applications,
attributing it to supply and demand dynamics within the sector. Hanandeh
proposed penalties, including one-week imprisonment, for drivers operating
unlicensed applications, advocating for legislation to hold them accountable.
He expressed dissatisfaction with past measures, deeming them ineffective in
curbing the issue.
Hanandeh
emphasized the necessity of conducting a comprehensive study to regulate the
transportation sector, safeguarding the interests of workers within it. He
suggested augmenting the number of licensed vehicles to meet the sector's
demands adequately, which he estimated to be double the current count of 13,000
vehicles operating under applications and 17,000 licensed taxis.
Minister
of Transport, Wesam Al-Tahtamouni, concurred that unlicensed smart applications
pose a significant challenge to the
Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC). He highlighted the social risks associated with insufficient
information about unlicensed drivers and reported efforts to block unauthorized
applications.
Abdul
Rahim Al-Wreikat, Director of the LTRC, disclosed that only four companies
possess licenses to operate smart applications in Jordan. Wreikat emphasized
the adverse impact of unlicensed applications on the transportation ecosystem
and outlined collaborative efforts to enhance control over financial
transactions associated with them.
Bassam
Al-Sarhan, CEO of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), reported
intensive efforts to block unlicensed applications, including one using
artificial intelligence. Sarhan outlined successful endeavors to block numerous
applications and ongoing efforts to address remaining challenges. He stressed
the importance of raising public awareness regarding the risks associated with
unlicensed applications.
The
authorities also highlighted concerns regarding the exploitation of youth
through schemes promoting vehicle ownership without initial payments, aligning
with government directives to tackle unemployment. They emphasized the need for
future studies to mitigate potential pitfalls and ensure comprehensive
solutions.
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