The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has suspended the licenses of 62 public service vehicle (PSV) drivers after uncovering multiple violations and serious safety concerns during their festive season compliance assessment.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 9, the authority announced that the suspension affected drivers from six renowned matatu Saccos.
Tahmeed Express Limited had the highest number of drivers suspended, with 23 facing a fresh re-testing after their licenses were suspended.
Latema Travellers Bus and Safari Company Limited had 13 drivers affected, while Meru Nissan Operators Sacco saw 10 of their drivers suspended.
Six drivers were suspended from Moline Prestige Services Shuttle Limited, seven from MTrans Sacco Limited, and three from Enabled Mashariki Investment Limited, bringing the total to 62.
These drivers will now be required to undergo re-testing to confirm their competence and suitability to operate on Kenyan roads.
"Besides re-testing the identified drivers, the affected operators must organise road safety awareness training for all their drivers and present selected vehicles for inspection. The driver re-testing exercise is part of the wider proactive efforts by the Authority aimed at ensuring every driver possesses the requisite skills and competencies to safely operate on our roads," NTSA said in a statement.
Since the start of December, the NTSA has embarked on joint operations with the National Police Service (NPS) to crack down on rogue drivers who posed a danger on the roads during the festive season.
Among the enforcement actions was the integration of IRSMS data transmission for real-time monitoring of PSVs and commercial fleets.
Launched in 2023, the IRSMS is central to NTSA's festive season strategy since it is a digital platform which monitors vehicles, including PSVs and commercial fleets.
The system tracks speed, the driver's behaviour, braking patterns and route compliance. Afterwards, it sends alerts when violations such as reckless overtaking and speeding occur.
NTSA has also launched free pre-festive inspection clinics at the bus terminus to ensure vehicles are in peak condition before trips.
