Toyota Probox and Toyota Wish car models have been banned from operating as Public Service Vehicles (PSV).
National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) Deputy Director for licensing John Muya said the vehicles that have been offering transport services were doing so illegally as they were not licensed for such.
Speaking in Kisii, Muya said they had received reports that some owners of those vehicles had turned them into PSVs and were then ferrying passengers in various towns.
Muya said the authority only recognized matatus that were registered in SACCOs, which he added were fully licensed to engage in the business, The Star reports.
During a meeting with Gusii Matatus Welfare Association, Kisii and Nyamira government representatives, police, Kenya Revenue Authority and NTSA, Muya received complaints from matatu owners that the Probox and Wish type of cars were giving them unnecessary competition.
The owners also said that most of the probox operating as PSVs were owned by police officers.
Muya assured them that the NTSA did not recognize the vehicles as PSVs.
Rural areas are said to be notorious for transporting people using the Probox and Wish type of cars, which are often overloaded and in selected occasions have caused terrible accidents due to overspeeding.
