Local News
Mandatory escort on primary school student buses to ensure safety
Mandatory escort on primary school student buses enhances safety; a new step in regulating educational transport ensures student safety and the development of educational services.
The executive regulations for educational transportation: a qualitative leap in organizing educational services
The executive regulations for educational transportation have come into effect, marking a new phase of precise organization for services provided to students at all educational levels. These regulations aim to develop transportation services for students of universities, colleges, schools, nurseries, kindergartens, institutes, and Quran memorization centers.
Escorts to ensure safety
One of the most prominent features of the new regulations is the mandatory presence of an escort on buses transporting elementary school students and those below. The escort must be at least 18 years old and have a clean criminal record. Their duties include assisting students and ensuring their safety while boarding, disembarking, and throughout the journey.
Encouraging investment while ensuring security and safety
The regulations, approved by the board of directors of the Public Transport Authority, aim to encourage investment in this vital sector while prioritizing safety and security requirements. They stipulate that establishments wishing to operate in this sector must obtain a three-year license and meet a set of essential requirements to ensure their seriousness and ability to provide efficient service.
Strict requirements for buses and drivers
The regulations included several conditions, most importantly the requirement of a minimum fleet of five buses owned directly by the establishment or through lease agreements. The regulations also addressed the role of individuals, allowing Saudi citizens to operate a single bus after obtaining an operating license, provided they are at least 25 years old and directly own the bus.
The buses must meet certain requirements, including that their operational age not exceed 12 years from the year of manufacture, that they be uniformly yellow in color, and that they be equipped with clear markings such as "Educational Bus" and "Stop" arms on both sides. They must also undergo regular technical inspections and be covered by valid insurance for the entire duration of their operation.
As for drivers, it stipulated that they must have a professional driver card, that the driver's age must not be less than 25 years, that his criminal record must be free of prior convictions, and that he must pass the professional competency test approved by the authority.
Future outlook
Future projections indicate that these regulations will contribute significantly to improving the quality of educational transport services and increasing the level of safety for male and female students.
It is also expected to attract more investment to this vital sector, which forms an essential part of the country's educational infrastructure.
Local News
Al-Bassami inspects the readiness of the security plans for Umrah 1447 AH and the field scenarios
Director of Public Security, Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Bassami, inspects the readiness of the plans for the 1447 AH Umrah season and witnesses a field simulation of the security deployment in the Grand Mosque to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.
As part of intensive preparations to ensure the safety and security of pilgrims, the Director of Public Security, Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami, conducted a comprehensive inspection tour to assess the readiness of security and traffic sectors to implement the approved plans for the 1447 AH Umrah season. This tour underscores the wise leadership's ongoing commitment to providing the utmost comfort and peace of mind for pilgrims and visitors.
Details of the field tour and security assumptions
During the tour, Lieutenant General Al-Bassami, accompanied by the Commander of the Umrah Security Forces and several prominent field commanders, was briefed on a live field exercise simulating real-world security deployments. This exercise aimed to test the speed of response and the efficiency of coordination among the various participating agencies, ensuring a professional approach to all potential scenarios during peak seasons.
The inspection tour also included a field visit to the vital sites and routes inside the Grand Mosque and its outer courtyards, where the Director of Public Security listened to a detailed explanation of the mechanism for implementing the approved security plans, which focus mainly on crowd management and organizing human flows in a way that ensures smooth movement and the safety of worshippers and pilgrims.
General context and the importance of early preparation
These early security preparations for the 1447 AH Hajj season come within the framework of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's ongoing efforts to serve the Two Holy Mosques, and in line with the objectives of Vision 2030, which seeks to increase the capacity to receive pilgrims while providing high-quality services. Security and traffic plans are a fundamental pillar of this integrated system, and are updated regularly based on lessons learned from previous seasons and using the latest technologies.
Security integration and its impact on the pilgrim's experience
This on-the-ground experience reflects the importance of integration between security, traffic, and service sectors. Advance planning and field training through live drills directly contribute to enhancing visitors' sense of security, enabling them to perform their rituals with ease and comfort. Crowd management at the Grand Mosque is a global model to be emulated, given the high human density within a specific geographical area, which necessitates meticulous execution and constant monitoring by security leaders.
In conclusion, this tour confirms the readiness of the security personnel and the efficiency of the plans put in place to receive pilgrims in the 1447 AH season, harnessing all human and technical capabilities to serve those who come to the Sacred House of God.
Local News
Al-Bassami inspects the readiness of the Umrah security plans for the 1447 AH season
Director of Public Security, Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Bassami, inspects the security and traffic preparations for the 1447 AH Umrah season and witnesses field simulations to ensure the safety of the pilgrims in the Grand Mosque of Mecca.
As part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's extensive and early preparations to serve the pilgrims, the Director of Public Security, Lieutenant General Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassami, conducted a comprehensive inspection tour to assess the readiness of the security and traffic sectors involved in implementing the approved plans for the 1447 AH Umrah season. This tour underscores the security authorities' commitment to providing the highest levels of safety and security for pilgrims and worshippers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
Tour details and field hypotheses
During the inspection tour, Lieutenant General Al-Bassami, accompanied by the Commander of the Umrah Security Forces and several prominent field commanders, observed a live field exercise simulating potential security deployment scenarios and how to manage large crowds. These exercises aim to assess response times, the accuracy of coordination among participating sectors, and the effectiveness of emergency plans and crowd management strategies during peak times, ensuring smooth traffic flow and the safety of visitors.
Comprehensiveness of security and traffic plans
The Director of Public Security's tour included inspecting vital locations and designated routes within the Grand Mosque and its outer courtyards, as well as the roads leading to it. Al-Bassami was briefed directly on the implementation of the approved security and traffic plans, which rely on employing modern technologies and trained personnel to ensure a safe and convenient spiritual experience for pilgrims. These plans focus on regulating entry and exit, preventing overcrowding, and facilitating the movement of pedestrians and vehicles in the central area.
The context of focusing on serving the guests of God
These preparations fall within the broader context of the Kingdom's ongoing efforts to develop its Hajj and Umrah services system, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030, which aims to host millions of pilgrims annually and provide them with the highest quality services. Security preparedness is the cornerstone that enables visitors to the Holy Mosque to perform their rituals with ease and peace of mind. The on-site supervision of these plans by senior security leaders reflects the level of responsibility and attention the wise leadership gives to the safety and security of everyone who sets foot on the Holy Land.
The importance of joint security coordination
The success of the Umrah seasons is a result of the integrated efforts of all security and service sectors. The importance of such inspection tours lies in boosting the morale of the participating forces and ensuring that any potential gaps are addressed before the peak season begins, thus enhancing the efficiency of field operations and reinforcing the sense of security among pilgrims arriving from all corners of the earth.
Local News
Passports communication service via Absher: Resolving difficult transactions electronically
Learn about the steps to use the Passports Communication Service via the Absher platform to resolve technically impossible transactions without the need to visit branches, as part of the digital transformation efforts and Vision 2030.
In its ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency of government services and facilitate the lives of citizens and residents, the General Directorate of Passports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed the importance of its "Tawasul" electronic service. This service, available through the Ministry of Interior's "Absher" platform, is the ideal digital solution for users facing technical or procedural obstacles that prevent them from completing their transactions electronically, thus eliminating the need to visit passport offices and endure waiting times.
Steps to benefit from the communication service via the Absher platform
The passport office explained that the service is designed with a user-friendly and flexible interface, allowing users to submit requests to address any technical issues encountered during their transactions. To utilize the service, the following steps must be followed precisely:
- Log in to your personal account on the “Absher” electronic platform.
- Go to the main “My Services” menu.
- Click on the “Services” option.
- Select “Passports Sector” from the drop-down menu.
- Click on the “Communication Service” icon.
- Click the “Submit a new request” button.
After accessing the request form, the beneficiary must select the relevant department and the sub-service that is experiencing a problem, and must attach all supporting documents and write a detailed explanation of the problem in the designated box, after which the request will be sent to the relevant team for processing and response electronically.
Historical context and the shift from paper to digital
This ease of completing transactions was unavailable a decade ago; visiting passport offices required in-person attendance, standing in long queues, and dealing with paper documents that were susceptible to damage or loss. With the launch of the “Absher” platform, the Ministry of Interior revolutionized services, moving them from traditional service windows to smartphones. Today, the platform serves millions of users and processes thousands of transactions daily, reflecting a significant leap forward in the Kingdom’s digital infrastructure.
Communication service and the Kingdom's Vision 2030
Activating and developing the “Tawasul” service falls within the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, specifically the National Transformation Program, which aims to build a fully integrated and efficient digital government. These efforts seek to achieve a vibrant digital society where technology is harnessed to serve people, reduce bureaucracy, and elevate government performance indicators to global standards. “Tawasul” acts as a digital safety net, ensuring that beneficiaries' interests are not disrupted in the event of any malfunction in standard automated systems.
The economic and social impact of the service
The importance of this service extends beyond its technical aspects to encompass tangible economic and social dimensions. Economically, the service saves hours wasted on government transactions, thereby increasing employee productivity in both the public and private sectors. Socially, it improves quality of life by reducing traffic congestion caused by travel to passport offices and provides users with peace of mind by allowing them to process their transactions from home. The General Directorate of Passports affirms its full commitment to continuous development and to harnessing all available resources to ensure a seamless and reliable user experience for everyone.
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