For financial reasons, as well as Kuwait’s harsh weather conditions, most expatriates who do not own private cars tend to avoid public transportation, particularly since its network does not adequately cover the country. Taking advantage of this situation, some citizens purchased hundreds of buses to transport tens of thousands of school students, along with a similar number of workers and employees, between their homes and schools or workplaces.
The Ministry of Interior has now realized the seriousness of the situation. It has become clear that most operators providing transportation services across three shifts are either operating illegally or holding invalid licenses, often without insurance coverage.
The project has turned into a disaster that threatens the safety and well-being of dozens of innocent children. It was essential to stop this violation, and there was no room to give bus company owners or service users more time to resolve the situation. Extending the deadline would only mean allowing this serious violation to continue.
The widespread dissatisfaction and complaints directed at the Ministry of Interior were not surprising, given the disruption the decision caused to the lives of hundreds of thousands of citizens, residents, parents, school owners, companies, and factories. Hundreds of bus drivers suddenly lost their livelihoods.
The problem is humanitarian, commercial, and educational. There is no doubt that Sheikh Fahad Al- Yousef’s decision to immediately halt this dangerous situation and cancel unregulated transportation services was absolutely correct. Therefore, it is crucial to quickly close the loopholes and regulate the situation to protect the rights of all parties. However, this will likely come at the expense of service users, the vast majority of whom are low-income employees and laborers, as well as a large number of private school students.
Currently, residents pay between KD 15 and KD 25 per month to bus drivers who transport them to and from work. This represents approximately 10 percent to 20 percent of their monthly salaries or income. Returning to the previous transportation system following the recent adjustments will automatically increase their expenses.
Many of these individuals have yet to recover from the shock of losing their homes in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and other areas and being forced to relocate to more expensive neighborhoods. Rent and transportation costs now consume more than 40 percent of workers’ salaries and wages. We urge the government to expedite the construction of labor cities, provide safe and affordable transportation for workers, and encourage public transportation companies to offer comfortable and extensive services to replace the haphazard and unregulated transportation that has been banned.
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