Car rental firms to offer jobs to Saudi women

WIth the lifting of ban on driving, Saudi women are all set to take up jobs in a variety of sectors including car rental offices. (Shutterstock)
Updated 25 June 2018
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Car rental firms to offer jobs to Saudi women

  • Female drivers will boost the Kingdom’s auto industry, says car rental company executive.
  • The most significant change in the car rental market is that new company branches will be opened in universities, government departments and institutions.

JEDDAH: Women drivers will bring about a huge economic recovery and bring down unemployment among Saudi women, as new jobs will be created that were not previously available to women — in the traffic department and car rental offices, for example.

The most significant change in the car rental market is that new company branches will be opened in universities, government departments and institutions. This will accordingly help to reduce the number of drivers in the Kingdom.

When Arab News toured car rental offices in Jeddah, many of them said they would have a training program to enable male and female Saudis to work in this field.

Salaries in car rental companies start at SR4,500 ($1,200). Nawaf Alghahtani, 25, a Saudi worker in car rental, said he started his job in a rental office three months ago and earned about SR5,000.

Fahad Taher, a customer services employee at another rental outlet, told Arab News: “Allowing women to rent cars will not change our pricing policies as we try to keep the prices the same, even during holidays and on special occasions.”

Khalid Zahid, CEO of Budget Saudi Arabia, said there are no restrictions on women availing the services of car rental companies.

He said the only requirement to rent a car in the Kingdom is to have a valid Iqama or national ID and a valid Saudi driver’s license in case of a resident or national. However, valid GCC driver’s licenses are also acceptable.

In Saudi Arabia, you must be over 21 to rent affordable car brands and over 23 and above for luxurious brands. The same thing goes for women drivers, said Hattan Madani, a Budget customer service employee.

He also told Arab News that training for employees before they start work in this sector is not limited to men. “Training does not differentiate between male or female. They are both eligible to take the courses, which include video and scenarios showcasing all the steps and ways to deal with the job.”

There is an e-training program called Doroob which one can use to get trained any time and from anywhere. It offers accredited certificates that are officially recognized by top employers in the Kingdom. These certificates also give their holders priority when applying for a job.

It is an integrated program sponsored by the Human Resources Development Fund. 

The CEO of Budget Saudi Arabia is optimistic about the effect women drivers will have in the Kingdom’s car industry.

“Today almost half the population consists of women. Let’s say 5 percent starts driving. Some of them will buy and some will rent cars. In the end, the outcome will be positive, and this will be better reflected in 2019,” he explained.

Zahid believes there will be a positive effect on Saudi households and the business sector. “When a company wants to rent cars for their sales employees, they rent them in large quantities. These cars are used for staff transportation,” said the Budget CEO, adding that women drivers will increase the request for these cars.

Budget has women working in various locations, mostly hotels around the Kingdom. Zahid said although hotels have pleasant environments they are bombarded by people of different attitudes and backgrounds, so it is truly a test for their female staff. 

“We are also starting to inject our car sales showrooms and various parts of our operations with women across the Kingdom. This will help a lot, especially when women enter showrooms to buy cars or rent them,” said Zahid, because this will result in smoother transactions.

The Budget CEO believes that women driving in the Kingdom will also increase demand for their “At your doorstep” service where customers can order a car and it will be delivered to their door in three hours.

He said he truly believes that women obtaining a driving license will help economically. He explained that the income of the household would stay within the household. Income spent on transportation for drivers and taxis will go back into the household, and the money will stay within the economy. Women will be able to buy and rent cars.

This step will also benefit by creating more jobs for women within the car industry, such as working as taxi drivers and in car showrooms. “So it is not just about women driving but rather how the economy will benefit from it,” the Budget CEO concluded. 


New initiative to plant 60m seeds for sustainability

Updated 43 sec ago
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New initiative to plant 60m seeds for sustainability

  • Center’s CEO, Khaled Al-Abdulkader, outlined the initiative’s goal of dispersing 60 million seeds and cleaning floodplains throughout the governorate
  • Efforts are part of the broader National Greening Season, which aims to increase green spaces and address environmental challenges

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification has launched the Grow Impact initiative in Hafar Al-Batin governorate to encourage community participation in preserving and expanding vegetation cover, while promoting sustainability and environmental awareness.

The center’s CEO, Khaled Al-Abdulkader, outlined the initiative’s goal of dispersing 60 million seeds and cleaning floodplains throughout the governorate.

These efforts are part of the broader National Greening Season, which aims to increase green spaces and address environmental challenges, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Al-Abdulkader described Grow Impact as a key step toward achieving sustainable development goals, restoring ecological balance, and enhancing biodiversity.

He said that the initiative also encourages environmental responsibility among individuals and communities.

The initiative aims to reduce waste in natural areas, protect plant and animal species from human activity, and combat desertification by inspiring communities to protect natural resources.

These goals align with Saudi Arabia’s vision for preserving the planet and its natural heritage, SPA reported.

The center continues its mission to develop and protect vegetation cover throughout the Kingdom, rehabilitating degraded areas, addressing violations, combating illegal logging, and overseeing rangelands, forests and national parks.


Thunderstorms forecast across Saudi Arabia until Sunday 

Updated 48 min 42 sec ago
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Thunderstorms forecast across Saudi Arabia until Sunday 

  • Makkah region is forecast light to moderate rain showers that could lead to flash floods
  • Asir and Jazan regions will also be affected by moderate to heavy showers

RIYADH: The General Directorate of Civil Defense has forecast thunderstorms in several regions across the Kingdom until Sunday.

Makkah region is forecast light to moderate rain showers that could lead to flash floods, hail and dust-stirring winds, reported the Saudi Press Agency, while moderate to heavy rain is expected in Riyadh region.

Asir and Jazan regions will also be affected by moderate to heavy showers, while the Qassim, Eastern and Baha regions will experience moderate rain. The regions of Madinah and Najran can expect light rain.

The directorate has urged people to exercise caution, avoid areas prone to flash flooding, and refrain from swimming in flooded areas.

Members of the public should follow media channels to keep themselves updated on the latest conditions.

Autumn in Saudi Arabia is typically rainy, with rapid weather changes providing relief from the heat, according to the National Center for Meteorology.


Shoura Council, EU officials discuss strengthening ties

Updated 27 November 2024
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Shoura Council, EU officials discuss strengthening ties

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council Vice Speaker Mishaal Al-Sulami met in Riyadh with an EU Political and Security Committee delegation, led by its chair Delphine Pronk, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The delegation included ambassadors from the 27 EU member states, the EU Special Representative for the Gulf Luigi Di Maio, and the EU Ambassador to the Kingdom Christophe Farnaud.

Al-Sulami highlighted the Shoura Council’s oversight and legislative roles and emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening cooperation.

The delegates praised the Kingdom’s significant developments and the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030, SPA reported.

The talks addressed the strong relations between Saudi Arabia and the EU, ways to enhance collaboration between the Shoura Council and the European Parliament, and other topics of mutual interest.

Earlier, the EU delegation visited the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology in Riyadh, where they discussed ways to counter extremism.

The delegation also visited the Gulf Cooperation Council headquarters in Riyadh, where they discussed joint efforts to tackle global challenges.


Saudi aid targets schools in Yemen, health in Somalia

Updated 27 November 2024
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Saudi aid targets schools in Yemen, health in Somalia

RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief signed a cooperation agreement with a civil society organization to implement the third phase of the Back to School project in Yemen.

The initiative will be executed in the Al-Mukha district of Taiz governorate, Thamud district in Hadramout governorate, and the governorates of Shabwah, Abyan and Lahj, benefiting about 6,000 individuals.

KSrelief’s Assistant Supervisor-General for Operations and Programs Ahmed Al-Baiz signed the agreement on the sidelines of the International Conference on Conjoined Twins in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The agreement includes the provision of 60 fully equipped classrooms, the outfitting of 10 schools to create a suitable learning environment, and the distribution of 6,000 school uniforms and bags containing essential supplies.

Additionally, job opportunities will be provided to low-income families — previous beneficiaries of training and empowerment projects — who will produce the school bags and uniforms.

This initiative is part of Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian efforts, led by KSrelief, to support the educational process, reduce dropout rates, and ensure a safer learning environment in Yemen.

In a separate agreement, KSrelief and the International Medical Corps signed a $1-million partnership to equip Garowe General Hospital in Somalia with dialysis machines and enhance its dialysis center. This project is expected to benefit 3,666 individuals.

The agreement was signed by KSrelief Supervisor-General Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and International Medical Corps President and CEO Nancy Aossey, also during the conference in Riyadh.

The initiative reflects Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian efforts through KSrelief to support health care services for those in need in Somalia.


Saudi Arabia welcomes ceasefire in Lebanon

People celebrate after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect in Sidon, Lebanon, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. AP
Updated 27 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia welcomes ceasefire in Lebanon

  • Kingdom appreciates all international efforts made to achieve the ceasefire, foreign ministry statement said

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia welcomes the ceasefire in Lebanon, the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The Kingdom appreciates all international efforts made in this regard and hopes that this will lead to the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the preservation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and stability, and the safe return of the displaced to their homes,” the statement said. 

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah started on Wednesday morning after the two sides struck a deal brokered by the US and France.

The agreement ended the deadliest confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah in years.