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Kuwait bans home delivery services to reduce traffic

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Kuwait has suspended home delivery licences in a bid to reduce traffic in the crammed capital.

The Interior Ministry is preparing to regulate home delivery services because it requires too many vehicles to be on the roads, Kuwait Times said. [Source]

Here’s one more last funny article for the day but this time I’m also gonna share my friends rant below (who’s Kuwaiti by the way for those of you who want to tell him to get the fuck out).

Yes, Kuwait, keep chipping away at our quality of life instead of doing anything serious to remedy the dire situation of our roads.

Metro? Let’s keep delaying that indefinitely… Because, you know, talking about it since the 1970s has brought us that much closer to realizing it.

Public transportation reforms? Forget that, bus drivers seem to drive with contempt and face it, who would want to ride one of those dilapidated deathtraps?

New highways? With an average completion time of seven years for a stretch of a few short kilometers and haphazardly-marked diversions, you might as well do nothing at all.

License regulation? Please, with rampant nepotism and string-pulling guaranteeing that every untrained moron with a pulse gets one, I don’t believe shit. Just take it all out on the expats the way you normally do, government.

Funny as it is, I’m dreading going back to Kuwait almost purely because of the road situation. People seem to actively disregard the rules and do things their own way because they know that our hilariously inept police force isn’t going to do jack about it except pass unimplemented law after unimplemented law, we have over 1.5 million cars on a road network with a carrying capacity of around seven hundred thousand vehicles, round-the-clock traffic ensures that what should be a ten-minute trip takes at least an hour, there’s no emission control or any form of environmental regulation and my chances of being killed because of someone else’s idiocy are exacerbated to the nth degree.

For a country with the potential and resources to make something absolutely incredible of itself, it’s moments like this that make me want to facepalm until my face bleeds.

– Khaled

Update: According to the news article on the Ministry of Commerce website, the ban is temporary and only because the MOI are currently overburdened with requests [Source]. So it looks like Kuwait Times are making shit up. Also it looks like Arabian Business is now making shit up because their source (Kuwait Times) never mentioned anything about traffic being the reason for the ban.

68 replies on “Kuwait bans home delivery services to reduce traffic”

Damn! I feel really sorry for investors who pay 175M for Talabat… Most of their income was generated in Kuwait.

But I have strange feeling that some of delivery business owners have some big wastas and this ban will be lifted after one month max.

Wow… This is really smart decision!

Instead of 1 small delivery car who delivers food for whole family, now we have 5 large SUV driving to restaurant (because in Kuwait each family member use their own cars even if they drive from same location to same destination).

This will reduce traffic for sure!

+1

Amazing minds on these people for sure. Lets ban the handful of vehicles that deliver food and items so everyone in the family can get in their own cars and drive to congested destinations to get what they need! GENIUS!

Wouldn’t a home delivery driver deliver to several customers? The alternative would be having those customers drive to go pick up their stuff and thus more cars on the road. It makes no sense.

Khalid, are you on a government scholarship overseas? If you are then thank your lucky stars, because your children will not be afforded this privilege the way your country is heading. If you’ve already graduated and have landed that ‘golden spot’ in a guaranteed government position awarded you by your constitution, many of your fellow citizens can no longer land these jobs, because with lack of development there is limited job opportunities for nationals. My point…its your job as a young person to change all this, to raise your voice and change the status quo, because it is your future on the line. Less we forget the 5th article this morning in the UAE press where your government will raise the salaries of government workers by billions. Wow is productivity up? Because the comments I’ve heard is that to get any paperwork done is an arduous task? So, today your country was the joke of the day in the UAE press, with a barrage of brilliant legal ‘shot from the hip’ shortsighted proposed initiatives that will solve absolutely nothing to solve major problems that have reached criticality in the country. No home deliveries? That’s going to upset the streets. Wait till the ‘in crowd’ returns in September??:) All these new initiatives really embarrassed Kuwait today, considering the infrastructure issues Kuwait faces today with lack of development that everyone knows about in the GCC. You pointed out some of the main issues facing Kuwait that could REALLY improve the traffic problems and let’s not talk about the airport and the national carrier. Listen, the youth of this nation must unravel the mess that they will inherit from their elder statesmen. It took about 20 minutes for me to run my car through an inspection the other day, after I updated my car insurance that is networked into the RTA database, in order to update my car registration, where I am given a sticker for my license plate, not in Kuwait, in Dubai. Many of your solutions are in Dubai, so the footwork is done, and I am sure that the gracious people of the UAE would assist you in setting up an RTA in this country to regulate(to the horror of many who relish the lack of regulation) the traffic on the roads AND that will streamline the system, of course, with additional road development. Did I just create jobs? Because when you build airports, build RTA’s, build metros etc., you should increase job opportunities for local nationals – another key issue.

Mary –

I’m not on a government scholarship overseas – in fact, I’m currently pursuing a postgrad degree using funds I’ve pooled from selling my car, a car I bought after saving a lot of money over the course of a few years without knocking on daddy dearest’s door. I approached Kuwait’s Ministry of Higher Education to see if I could qualify for a scholarship, but after experiencing the endless frustration of that squalid excuse for a government-representative body, I left empty-handed and took things into my own hands… Which turned out to be the best and easiest damn decision I’ve ever taken.

I have a lot to be thankful for as a person and as a Kuwaiti, but when I see my country spiraling into oblivion, I’m bound to feel pain, anger and an overwhelming sense of disappointment. Kuwait is terrific on paper and should by all accounts work on many different levels. Instead of nurturing a grateful population and a functioning system, it’s birthed generation after generation of people who are each trying to take the biggest piece of the pie. JFK Jr.’s words from his 1961 inaugural speech blare loudly in my head: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” In Kuwait, we’re stuck with too many people asking what the country can do for them and their short-term desires rather than what they can do to better it, and therein lies the problem.

About changing Kuwait as a young person: Kuwait has a massive age rift where you have a much older group of people with dramatically different upbringings and mindsets in power and – if I’m not mistaken – over sixty percent of the national population under the age of 35. Our generation – Generation Y, millennials, whatever – has been blessed with exposure, is for the most part well-travelled and brings a wealth of ideas and new blood to the table. All of that’s well and good, but when the entire country is structured in a way that the system works for those in certain circles, keeps its short-sighted population in a state of melancholy happiness and throws money at them when shit starts hitting the fan, then why rock the boat? People like you and I who recognize change and want to work for it are faced with a system that doesn’t allow us to change it, something so counterintuitive and mired in obstacles that our only way of dealing is to forego our sense of idealism and settle for ineptitude… Or bounce, which is what many people are starting to do.

I want so desperately to work towards the betterment of this nation – for myself, for my fellow citizens, for residents and everyone else, but when the country is working against me, what else can I do? Take to the streets? I’ll get arrested. Criticize the government? I’ll get arrested. Have an opinion that goes against the current? I’ll get arrested.

I try hard to remain positive and hope for the best while working towards greater change in my own small ways. I just hope that those with the power and ability to truly make things happen reevaluate where they stand and work with the country’s best interests at heart instead of their own.

+100 Very well Said Khaled. Many of us share your feelings but could never express them the way you did. Fighting a losing battle is frustrating and standing still is worse.

Good luck in your endeavours.

Impressive response. I wasn’t really suggesting that people ‘hit the streets’ but that intelligent Kuwaitis, like yourself, formulate a professional lobby group to speak to the government about how they would like their country to move forward in terms of a development path. I understand your frustration when you look around this tiny nation and then view the progress of neighboring GCC nations, it must be very painful for you. At some point, somebody has got to care and choose to move this country forward – the future of the youth of this nation is what’s on the line. Like I stated in my previous statement, implementation of ‘systems’ throughout the country would help solve a lot of the problems that have reached critical levels in the country, but the government has got to spend money on these systems and quit this appeasement policy of increasing public salaries rather than restructuring public sectors. The groundwork is already done and functioning well in the UAE, so it is a matter of a simple dialogue with the UAE to assist Kuwait in progressing forward. The moment you start reducing expectations you risk introducing complacency – the status quo is unacceptable. Be confident not complacent

“Why hide your talent in the closet of complacency when you have greatness within you.” Robin Sharma

AMEN…
and by the way it is the same for us expats who come to create a life in Kuwait and would love to see it flourish, but will get arrested if we sneeze

The headline is misleading. Home delivery itself is not banned. The issuance of home delivery licenses has been suspended, so new restaurants won’t be able to obtain a license. Restaurants who already have a license can still deliver food.

The Interior Ministry is currently preparing to regulate home delivery services.

Arabian Business has a long history of misreporting.

Please correct your post.

Existing licenses weren’t suspended, the restaurants who already have a license can still deliver food. Only the issuance of new licenses has been suspended (temporarily).

Arabian Business misreported because home delivery isn’t banned. Please correct your post.

Dunno who the genius was , who came up with this idea !!!

I know plenty of restaurants who don’t have dine in but only delivery or take away!

And mostly for delivery if am not wrong bikes are used !!

Often times, English language newspapers in Kuwait post overblown or incorrect news. Here is a link to the ministry of commerce website regarding the topic:

https://www.moci.gov.kw/NewsDetail.aspx?id=1579

In which it is said that the ministry of interior requested from the ministry of commerce to suspend issuing delivery service permits because MOI are overburdened with requests. This suspension should stay until the matter can be better regulated.

“Kuwait Bans delivery services” is way too much drama.

Thank you Sami… this is irresponsible reporting at its finest. These idiots are still unaware of the damage they inflict when their inaccurate reports go viral. And yes there IS a language barrier, since most of them speak horrendous English and will – more often than not – get lost in translation!!

Or they do it on purpose for the clicks. Either way they’re assholes

There is no mention of traffic, only that the “traffic department” is overburdened with issuing permits for delivery cars.

Yes there is, and it’s about TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING not BANNING… FUTURE delivery licenses and not current ones.

(sorry for the ALL CAPS. I’m not yelling at you, just highlighting for your readers)

Only that the “traffic department” is overburdened with delivery car permit requests. Nothing about the actual traffic.

I would like to say all but I will give some credit to journalists who are reporting properly, and say most Kuwaiti English and Arabic newspapers can be described in two words: Yellow Journalism.

English news always contradicts arabic news for some reason …

قررت وزارة التجارة والصناعة، الموافقة على طلب وزارة الداخلية بوقف تراخيص نشاط توصيل الطلبات الاستهلاكية بسبب تكدس أعداد طلبات تراخيص السيارات المرتبطة بهذا النشاط في المرور. .

وكشفت وزارة الداخلية أن طلبها بوقف نشاط التوصيل، جاء بهدف الوصول إلى حلول جديدة، واعداد قرارا وزاريا ينظم هذا النشاط خلال الفترة المقبلة.

https://www.kathima.com/v/221636

temporary ban till they find a solution to the large number of licenses.

Mark I never wrote any comments or reviews and this is my first. I read your older post about these rude people commenting on you and telling you to “get the fuck out”. Please do not ever make this affect your work. Trust me me and majority of Kuwaitis are proud of your blog but we have lives unlike those weirdos writing these comments so we never remind you how great your work is. Keep up the great work.

I wouldn’t say the USA is the greatest example of organised civilisation, but any change from the Burger Desert is a positive one.

Mark means well but this is an example on how this blog attracts sad pathetic individuals who blame the country for their failures. Get the fuck out and back to your shit hole.

Well, one way restaurants might go around that would be to have their despatch delivering the goods on foot or by cycle.
Wonder how will people get their daily morning fatair cravings fulfilled.

Yo I’m good..na forreal you guys go ahead and enjoy that. This is exactly the reason I left the office life and became an oil man. Maybe long (empty) roads but none of that b.s where I go Alhamdilah

Banning deliveries is not the solution!

Quickfix to Q8 road problems…..

1. Increase fuel prices
2. Implement roadtax
3. Implement roadtoll system
4. Stricter annual inspections, taking non-roadworthy cars off the roads.
5. Increase number of bus operators and expand network coverage.

Problem at least solved temp.

1.Increase fuel prices = Making everyone angry

2.Implement roadtax = Making everyone angry.

3.Implement roadtoll system. How would that even work ? kuwait is a very small county. So we would have tolls every 15 minutes of driving, causing everyone to come to a complete stop on the highway in order to pay a toll.

4.Stricter annual inspections ? They are already strict enough. Taking “non-roadworthy” cars off the roads ? how would this help traffic situation ?

5. Thats actually a good idea !

Congratulations ! You have given 4 steps to mass rioting ! Hope you dont get into government any time soon.

John let me help you out here.

Increasing fuel prices will make the people mad but it’s needed eventually.
Road tax is also a must. When you have to pay to use the road, you will think twice before grabbing your keys.

Install like the UAE Salik sticker on the windshield and every gate you pass it automatically detects without slowing down to stop. Just keep recharging.
They have been taking forever to finish the new infrastructures from Kuwait city to Jahra and Doha. But they have started picking up the pace after an Egyptian contracting company took over operations and I know that because I see their progress everyday.

An update to the bus system and uniting all the taxi companies under one administration and fix a proper pricing and install a GPS and make their driving license test more challenging to avoid stupid highway incidents because they came from their countries with no driving experience and got it from their sponsor with wasta.

They should really consider allowing to carpool, as it’s a great way to have fewer cars on the road.

Ease up on the driving license issue as I have lived here for 23 years and they still wouldn’t issue me a driving license. Traffic dept. made it much easier to obtain a motorcycle license so I got a bike. I can see their approach here; bikes create less traffic and are more efficient. But if there will be more bikes on the street then they should try to make the roads more bike friendly, and have a lane for them. Maybe some crazy riders won’t follow the rules but at least it will educate the rest and it’s a step in the right direction.

And the cherry on tops “The Metro”.
Maps and Planning have been done quite a while back but damn it must be hard to put down some rails and have cabins roll down on them. Maybe build every station with a mall and a burger place. That should get the project running.

But you know where the major problem is?
People with power and authority are benefiting from how things are going; it’s not in their interest to see Kuwait prosper.

HUHHHHH…. yah that will solve the problem.
I say
Force the school kids to ride their school buss’s.
During school holidays the traffic is bliss..

I don’t think this is true…

Check the news in the Kuwait Times. It mentions “The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stopped issuing consumer home delivery services”. It can mean that current home delivery operations are still going.

It does not make sense that they stop the home delivery completely. This will immediately bankrupt thousands of companies and establishments (e.g. restaurants) which is not good for economy of the country.

Home delivery is still going now…. check talabat website and live orders…

It is not about whether home delivery stopped completely or they just stopped issuing new home delivery licenses, it the dumb concept of insisting on thinking that anything but working on the infrastructure would solve the traffic problem, in this particular case throttling home delivery, another desperate useless ineffectual attempt of the “people in charge” trying solve the dilemma of Kuwait’s traffic.

You don’t cure cancer with painkillers.

The most sane Kuwaiti I’ve ever heard..

It would sadden me if things didn’t start to change, things are not going to be better financially for Kuwait or any gulf countries, not anymore.. you can kiss goodby the 100$ oil barrel, not with Iran sanctions lift off and US shale’s.. good luck with that.

Raising awareness to the people of Kuwait is something the government won’t mind, say more of a Khawater program for Kuwait.

Give it few days and you’ll learn the background behind this movie.

Just like with almost everything in this country. They ban what should be legal to impose market monopoly.

Like how they established communications authority to regulate telecommunication business. But instead they ganged on the consumer by attempting to block VPN and VoIP services.

Just like that bank, which they government established with partnership with private investors and free shares for the entire population… reality is, each of the population got only 100 dinar cash, the private investors got a bank without the government money they wouldn’t have been able to establish.

Just like the new maids agency established by the government.

Just like the retired people health insurance, the health care service is free, the doctors that work in the private sector are employed by the government mostly. So why pay the private sector to treat someone already eligible for free healthcare?!

Just like the higher education in the country. They ruin the future of thousands and thousands of students by limiting scholarships, limiting subjects to be studies, delaying Kuwait universities, dis-accrediting Universities abroad, so government will pay for students to study at local private Universities.

The list goes on for ever.

I hear you when it comes to horrid driving habits. Sitting at a lights in Suliabiya yesterday with one car in front of me, light goes green and the car moves off after about 10 seconds to turn left and a guy doing I guess around 140km runs the on coming red in a crown Victoria special – had she left any earlier it would have been game over. Perceived control has no bearing here.

You always have to watch out for the idiot driving the white crown Victoria. You also can recognize him when he drives his other favorite vehicles , the white land cruiser and safari patrol.

There is no mention whatsoever of this suspension being for the reason of reducing traffic in the original source (Kuwait times) nor the Arabic news piece.

Thats not true, i heard rumors from really credible sources that there are some MPs studying teleporting seriously. This is why they want to suspend more licenses until they implement the 1st phase.

The study done in collaboration with Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science and every 2$ from oil revenue will go into this sovereign fund and invested in R&D.

The only issue they have now is dealing with the animal welfare lobby group who might object on having animal abuse institutionalized in our society.

Stay positive people!!

For teleporting, of course! if KFAS uses its proprietary research & current scientist, they could have done in no time without any major cost implication.

Maybe its because there are still corrupt officials in the ministry that are still helping people get licenses that don’t qualify for them!

another stupid rule,,,,

*5 orders in 1 small car on the road,, [to deliver]
it will turns to
*5 cars on the road …[to get the order]
–
::restaurant parking is full:: ,,
:: park at edge of the road::,,
=more tickets.
= minus money from your pocket to MOI
end of the equation .

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