JEDDAH: Leading car-hailing firm Careem has had its eyes set on women from the get-go. The company took the initiative to support women’s driving, announcing it was accepting women’s applications for driving positions through its Twitter account only a few days after the ban was lifted, and it continues to do so today.
Careem’s Eastern Province General Manager Iyad Aldalooj told Arab News everything women need to know to start working as Captainahs (female Captains) by June.
“From the very first moment, we’ve displayed our willingness to welcome ladies in our platform, and we’ve started training and on-boarding the Captainahs to work for Careem through our office in Alkhobar 14 days after the royal decree was issued. We are working to continue training females in the upcoming months in preparation to launch services dedicated to ladies and families only. Our goal is to register more than 10,000 Captainahs before then,” he said, adding that the company has received applications from thousands of females hoping to work for Careem, especially in major cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.
“The majority of our Captains, as to be expected, are young,” he revealed, giving a general idea on a typical Saudi Captain. “We have a remarkable number of retirees working with us, however. There are some who operate for more than eight hours a day, and we’re truly proud of that.”
“Today, we have more than 100,000 Saudi Captains. The large and increasing number of entrants is due to the fact that they can work any time in a platform that provides Captains with an additional income, not to mention the incentives and rewards we offer them. A small example is the new car we’ve introduced to the ‘Captain of the Month’ in Jeddah. These opportunities aren’t offered elsewhere.”
Some of the incentives Careem offers to motivate Captains and ensure limiting the number of dropouts include daily guarantees, according to Aldalooj. “We secure a fixed salary if the Captain works within a specified period in his city, based on market forecasts.”
Careem also offers many bonuses in cooperation with their partners, such as discounts offered to the Captains and their families.
On the process of becoming a Captain, Aldalooj said: “Candidates apply through an online application and then receive extensive training in customer service, Careem’s system and laws, with an emphasis on local traffic regulations. Before any Captain starts working for us, we collect their personal documents; check security records with governmental agencies, the vehicle’s validity and papers. We take pride in being the only platform in the region that undergoes such a process.”
In order to prevent any cases with regards to some Captains allowing strangers drive in their stead, Careem has partnered with “Digital Barriers” for its facial recognition technology to be incorporated in the Captain app, ensuring that the actual driver matches the authorized and accredited Captain.
Saudi car-hire app ready to dominate women’s driving market
Saudi car-hire app ready to dominate women’s driving market
Direct KSA to Iraq flight routes announced
- These flights, along with flights to Baghdad and Irbil, will commence from June 1.
RIYADH: The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation announced the launch of direct flights from Dammam to Najaf, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The decision is in line with the Kingdom’s national aviation sector strategy, aimed at doubling capacity to accommodate over 330 million passengers annually, and extending services to more than 250 global destinations.
These flights, along with flights to Baghdad and Irbil, will commence from June 1.
Ministry of Hajj and Umrah praises Iraqi authorities for arresting fraudsters touting fake Hajj trips
- A ministry source in the statement also warned prospective pilgrims to beware of unauthorized Hajj offers being promoted this year
- The ministry made it clear that visas for Umrah, tourism, work, family visits, transit, and other categories do not grant eligibility to perform Hajj
RIYADH: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah expressed its gratitude for actions taken by the Supreme Commission for Hajj and Umrah in the Republic of Iraq that resulted in the prosecution of more than 25 companies fraudulently engaged in commercial Hajj operations.
A ministry source in the statement also warned prospective pilgrims to beware of unauthorized Hajj offers being promoted this year, primarily through social media.
Participation in Hajj requires pilgrims to obtain a legitimate Hajj visa issued by the authorities in the Kingdom in coordination with Hajj affairs offices in their respective countries, or via the Nusuk Hajj platform for those countries that do not have an official Hajj office.
The source said that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is monitoring advertisements from companies and campaigns, as well as identifying fake accounts on social networks allegedly offering Hajj packages at enticing prices.
The ministry made it clear that visas for Umrah, tourism, work, family visits, transit, and other categories do not grant eligibility to perform Hajj. It urged pilgrims to be careful not to fall victim to companies and others claiming to offer commercial Hajj campaigns or other misleading initiatives.
“Regulations must be followed and legally documented permits, as represented by the official Hajj visa, must be issued, so a safe, secure, well-managed Hajj program and fair representation to all nationalities is provided,” Mohsen Tutla, head of the World Hajj and Umrah Convention, told Arab News.
“Hajj is a mega event with more than 2 million worshippers. Can one imagine, if order was not imposed and (the event) not regulated, chaos would ensue,” he added.
In the statement, the ministry calls for everyone’s cooperation to help combat and report fraudulent companies and campaigns, and to seek information only by visiting its official website and engaging with its channels on social networks.
World’s largest Arabic opera opens in Riyadh
- The opera was produced by the Saudi Theater and Performing Arts Commission
RIYADH: “Zarqa Al-Yamama,” the world’s first and largest grand opera in Arabic, made its debut at the King Fahad Cultural Center in Riyadh, taking the audience on a lyrical journey through one of the best-known folkloric tales in the Arabian Peninsula.
The opera was produced by the Saudi Theater and Performing Arts Commission, and will run until May 4, telling the story of the central character’s attempts to warn her Jadis tribe of an imminent invasion.
Saudi chemistry duo add to KSA medal haul
- Team members were selected by Mawhiba
RIYADH: Two Saudi students have added to the Kingdom’s medal haul at the 2024 Mendeleev International Chemistry Olympiad being held in China from April 20-27.
Hassan Abdul Jalil Al-Khalifa, a third-grade secondary student from the Provincial Department of Education, Eastern Province, and fellow student Ali Salah Al-Moussa claimed bronze medals at the competition, lifting the Kingdom’s overall tally to three silver and 20 bronze.
More than 150 students from 27 countries are competing at the 58th session of the Olympiad.
Saudi Arabia is represented by a team of six students from several educational institutions.
Team members were selected by the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, also known as Mawhiba.
Students were chosen after attending a series of forums over the course of two years, and were trained by Mawhiba, in partnership with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.
Saudi deputy minister of interior heads delegation at first conference to combat drug trafficking
- Kingdom’s participation in the conference was an extension of its efforts in the war on drugs
MAUTIRIUS: Dr. Nasser bin Abdul Aziz Al-Dawood, Saudi deputy minister of interior, headed the Kingdom’s delegation participating in the first conference to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse, held in Mauritius, which concluded on Thursday.
Al-Dawood said that the Kingdom’s participation in the conference was an extension of its efforts in the war on drugs, monitoring and diagnosing their effects and harms, and strengthening international cooperation procedures and information exchange to combat the activities of organized crime networks in general, and drug crime in particular.
