Saudi Arabia allows women to drive trucks and motorcycles

The National -- Women in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to operate commercial vehicles, drive trucks and ride motorcycles on the kingdom's roads next summer, according to authorities in Riyadh.

Months after the historic decision to allow women to drive in Saudi Arabia, the traffic department issued new details on the law expected to come into effect next year, said the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

Weeks after the announcement, some feared the move would be implemented with strict female-specific laws placing conditions on issuing licences to women in Saudi Arabia.

However, the new regulations, which refers to women "as equal" to male drivers, dispels fears that licences for women would be any different than those of men.

New details also made references to how GCC-issued licenses could be swapped for Saudi Arabian driving permits, however, the details on whether that applies to expatriate women is still unknown.

The General Authority said that there will be no female-specific license plate numbers, but that traffic violations committed by women will be dealt with by a special police unit.

Three months ago, King Salman issued a royal decree that stipulated women will be allowed to drive as of June 2018. The announcement set off a wave of ambitious reforms spearheaded by the King's son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The move to allow women to drive has been welcomed by Saudi Arabia, whose strict regulations on women have been easing in recent years. Authorities mentioned that involving women in the kingdom's Vision 2030 will likely be a crucial step as the oil-rich state begins to diversify its economy.