In response to the escalating road fatalities nationwide, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has issued a directive banning the use of private vehicles as public service vehicles (PSVs).
Specifically, he has instructed the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to collaborate with the National Police Service (NPS) to enforce this ban on popular private vehicle models such as Voxy, Probox, Noah, and Sienta being used as PSVs.
This action forms part of continuous endeavours to organise and enhance operations within the public transport sector.
“Some motorists have developed a tendency to operate as PSVs without authorisation and I promise that offenders will be prosecuted under the Traffic Act,” he said while addressing the press at his office on Tuesday.
He mentioned that the instruction aimed to tackle the rising occurrences of private vehicles being unlawfully converted into PSVs without adhering to the mandatory regulations and compliance measures for public transportation. These measures encompass payment of inspection fees and all other essential taxes.
In 2015, the government prohibited the utilisation of Probox vehicles as PSVs, citing a surge in accidents attributed to overloading, speeding, and reckless driving.
