Why NTSA has suspended licenses for two PSV Saccos

NTSA has suspended operator licenses for Bungoma Line Safari Limited and Smart Highways Sacco

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has suspended operator licenses for Bungoma Line Safari Limited and Smar.t Highways Sacco. 

In a circular seen by The Standard, the Authority said the two operators failed to comply with Public Service Vehicles regulations, and violated speed data laws.

"The suspensions were necessitated by the Saccos failure to comply with provisions of Section 5 of the NTSA operation of PSV regulations, 2014 and analysis of speed data violations," said NTSA. 

Among the regulations said to have been disregarded by the matatu Saccos include vehicle inspection to establish their roadworthiness, and functionality of the installed speed limiters.

The Authority has demanded that the two Saccos to submit their vehicles for inspection and their drivers to undergo road sensitisation and some retested.

A total of 162 vehicles from Bungoma Line Safari Sacco are to be inspected, all their drivers to undergo sensitization, while fourteen will redo their driving tests.

Smart Highways Sacco, on the other hand, is to submit all their drivers for road sensitisation, two for a retest and twenty-nine (29) vehicles for inspection.

Further, NTSA has also directed the National Police Service to impound any vehicles that will be found operational during the period of the suspension, until they meet the requirements.

The two Saccos mainly operate on the Western route and the Nairobi to Bungoma route.

The suspension comes a week after Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba  Murkomen directed that NTSA officers return to the road, in a bid to restore sanity.