Saudi Arabia’s delivery-app sector faces calls for clearer driver pay rules

Saudi Arabia’s delivery apps have become a major part of daily life and provide work as well as delivery services.

The Transport General Authority recorded more than 101 million orders in the second quarter of 2025, including over 45.6 million in Riyadh.

In 2024, the authority introduced rules covering drivers, identity checks, motorcycles and safety, and began moving non-Saudi delivery workers toward work through light-transport companies.

The piece argues that rules should also address how the business works and how order revenue is shared.

Drivers often pay for their vehicles, fuel, repairs, insurance and waiting time, while the app controls the customer relationship and payment.

It proposes showing drivers the delivery fee, expected distance and time, their share, and any platform fees or discounts before they accept an order.

It also suggests considering a monthly operating-income target of at least 10,000 riyals for Saudi drivers who meet set work and order requirements, while noting this would not be a fixed salary for every driver.

The next step, according to the piece, is for regulators to consider these ideas as they develop governance for the sector.