Haj pilgrimage: Saudi authorities to enforce ban on buses over 10 years old

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have said they will enforce a ban on buses transporting passengers and goods to the Kingdom or through its territories for Haj that are over 10 years old.

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have said they will enforce a ban on non-Saudi buses transporting passengers and goods to the Kingdom or through its territories for Haj that are over 10 years old.

Brig Ghaith Hassan Al Zaabi, director general of Traffic Coordination Directorate (TCD) at the ministry of interior, said that the regulations and instructions regarding the transportation of passengers by bus to the Kingdom stipulate that a bus’s lifespan should not exceed 10 years from the date of manufacture. The move was made to ensure safety and comfort of passengers and road users.

Brig Al Zaabi has called on bus owners to observe the new instructions issued by Saudi Arabia authorities to avoid any legal accountability.

Brig Al Zaabi said the TCD has advised the traffic and patrol departments in the UAE to inform bus owners and drivers of the decision, and to warn them that Saudi Arabia will not allow buses over 10 years old to enter the country for the annual pilgrimage.

The TCD also advised the licensing departments not to issue travel certificates to buses which intend to pass through its territories, and advised the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments to alert the organisers of Haj campaigns to adhere to the decision.