Chairman of Task-force on maintenance of orders on road Ronald Musengi and Matatu Owners Association Coordinator Salim Mbarak at a past function. [ Photo/the-star.co.ke]
Coast Matatu Owners’ Association has faulted the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) for restricting long-distance passenger service vehicles to travel between 6 am and 7 pm. According to the association, the new development will do the nation more harm than good.
Speaking to The Star on Tuesday, Coast chairman Saalim Mbarak said that the ban will hurt stakeholders in the transport sector after they complied with the traffic rules.
He also said that only city operators who were given temporary licenses to offer services upcountry need to be affected by the ban and not all the owners of public service vehicles in the nation. He argued that the vehicles that were issued with temporary licenses are partly to blame for the increased accidents across the nation.
“These vehicles took advantage of the festive season to operate on some routes, resulting in accidents,” he said.
He further noted that most of the city vehicles only have one driver, which increases chances of accidents.
“The upcountry buses and companies have two drivers alternating at specific points,” he added
NTSA director general Francis Meja on Monday said that the decision was reached following consultations with different parties in the transport sector.