NTSA Imposes Two-Year Freeze on New Public Service Vehicle Operators Amid Safety Crisis

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has announced a temporary ban on new licenses for public transport operators across Kenya for 24 months, in a bid to tackle chronic road safety failures, illegal operations and systemic weaknesses in the sector.

In a public notice issued on Friday, the authority said it is invoking powers under the NTSA Act of 2012 and the 2014 regulations governing public-service vehicles.

“No new applications for PSV Operator Licenses will be accepted or processed during this period,” the notice stated.

The measures, which take immediate effect, also suspend the approval of new routes or extensions to existing ones for 12 months – with a narrow exemption only for newly commissioned roads – and freeze any modifications to current routes, including changes to pick-up and drop-off points, for the same period.

NTSA cited “persistent non-compliance and road safety concerns” as key drivers, along with the proliferation of unlicensed operators that undercut legitimate players, create safety risks and sometimes contribute to insecurity.

The move comes against a backdrop of longstanding challenges in the country’s matatu and bus sector, where weak enforcement, route indiscipline and pressure from informal operators have frequently been linked to high accident rates and unreliable services for millions of daily commuters.

Reforms and audits planned

During the moratorium, NTSA said it would collaborate with county governments and other stakeholders to carry out a comprehensive audit of road safety compliance and traffic management practices.

The authority plans to support existing operators in raising service standards and to work towards “consistent and profitable” route networks.

It has invited investors and operators to submit proposals during the review period on ways to improve road safety and public transport management. It encouraged broader stakeholder engagement on reforms aimed at enhancing safety and efficiency nationwide.