Muscat – The Ministry of Transportation, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) has issued a clarification that it is legal to transport friends and acquaintances in one’s private vehicle, unless it is done for commercial purposes.

A statement issued by MTCIT said, ‘The ministry has undertaken inspection campaigns recently to monitor road transport. We categorically state that the Land Transport Law is not violated by anyone who transports their acquaintances and/or friends, provided it is not done for a financial gain.’

The ministry stressed that its inspection teams are keen to ensure that drivers do not violate the Land Transport Law, and are not issuing violation notices without a thorough check.

‘The inspection teams aim to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Land Transport Law and its executive regulations, in order to preserve the safety of land transport users and the rights of the parties to the land transport contract.’

The ministry affirmed that if anyone has a grievance, they can submit a complaint at the Land Transport Department in MTCIT or the road departments in the governorates within 15 days of a fine being levied.

Social media is currently rife with reports of expats being fined ‘unfairly’, some claiming they drove with a friend to a supermarket where they were fined RO200. Another complainant said that he was with his brother when he was stopped outside a supermarket and fined despite repeated requests to verify that the co-passenger was his brother.

MTCIT called on companies and individuals to follow the Land Transport Law, and further stated that it will continue its inspection campaigns to ensure compliance with the law.

Last week, the ministry announced that it registered more than 1,440 violations of transporting passengers without a licence against expatriate workers and 546 violations of transporting and delivering goods without a licence also against expatriate workers. These are in violation of the Land Transport Law issued by Royal Decree No 10/2016 and its regulations, MTCIT stated.