NTSA drafts regulations for school transport
NTSA drafts regulations for school transport
NTSA drafts regulations for school transport
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is putting forth new safety-enhancing measures in an effort to reduce accidents.
The NTSA (Operation of Commercial Service) Regulations 2024 and the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2024 contain the draft statutes that are scheduled for public comment.
Public participation is planned in the following counties: Garissa, Meru, Embu, Nairobi, Taita Taveta, Mombasa, Kilifi, Nyeri, Nakuru, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Kakamega, and Uasin Gishu. The public has been informed about this by the authorities.
The NTSA, which was just told to resume driving, is under fire due to an increasing number of accidents. The most recent one occurred on Monday at Nakuru’s Ngata Bridge, where a matatu and trailer collided, killing eight people.
The government is optimistic that the new rules will guarantee efficient traffic control and safety across the nation.
According to Kipchumba Murkomen, the Transport Cabinet Secretary, the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2024 mandate that school vehicles have functional safety belts intended for children to use and that they undergo twice-yearly inspections.
The majority of school buses receive very few inspections, and those involved in the field of education have linked accidents to their poor state.
The vehicles must have at least one fire extinguisher conforming to the applicable standard issued by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs). The fire extinguisher must be accessible and available for use on board.
Further, the vehicles should be installed with mirrors that enable the driver to have adequate visibility of the sides, rear and along both sides of the bus.
Section 11 of the proposed regulations states, “All the school vehicles shall be fitted with a vehicular telematic system conforming to the applicable Kenyan standard approved by Kebs.” Simply put, a telematics system is a tracking device that gathers and records various types of data.
In the event that the rules are enacted, every seat will need to be fixed rather than foldable, free of sharp edges, and covered in soft, fire-resistant, shock-absorbing materials.
If there are seat handles, they should be covered with material that shields occupants from harm in the event of a collision. Additionally, windows from the inside or outside will not have any bars or other obstructions fixed to them.
Moving forward, drivers of school vehicles must validly be licensed by NTSA for the category of school vehicle being driven.
Drivers shall have to successfully undergo and pass an annual assessment for criminal record. This shall include convictions of child abuse and incidents of arrests for driving under the influence or other drugs.
“A school vehicle driver who possesses a criminal record containing a conviction for child abuse and driving under the influence or other drugs shall be disqualified from being a school vehicle driver,” states the draft regulations.
Every year, the drivers will need to submit to and pass medical exams.In the event that the proposed regulations are passed into law, drivers will be required to perform comprehensive pre-trip and post-trip inspections of their vehicles to guarantee that the safety equipment is functioning properly and that no children are left inside.In addition, school attendants will need to possess a current NTSA public service vehicle conductor license.The majority of schools employ school attendants, whose duties include helping the drivers and helping the kids board and get off the bus safely. They will go through and pass an annual assessment for a criminal record, just like drivers are required to.
Every year, the drivers will need to submit to and pass medical exams.
In the event that the proposed regulations are passed into law, drivers will be required to perform comprehensive pre-trip and post-trip inspections of their vehicles to guarantee that the safety equipment is functioning properly and that no children are left inside.
In addition, school attendants will need to possess a current NTSA public service vehicle conductor license.
The majority of schools employ school attendants, whose duties include helping the drivers and helping the kids board and get off the bus safely. They will go through and pass an annual assessment for a criminal record, just like drivers are required to.
School vehicles are allowed to drive between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 p.m., with a maximum speed limit of 80 kph.
Every pupil needs to have a designated seat. Transport companies for schools must make sure that the number of passengers carried by their cars does not exceed the number listed on the vehicles’ registration papers, and each passenger must be counted. The regulations say, “Anyone who violates this commits an offence.”
The companies that provide school transportation must make sure that the vehicles receive routine maintenance and servicing. They also must maintain records of all maintenance and services performed on school vehicles for a minimum of two years.
To ensure that the regulations are being followed, the NTSA may carry out safety and compliance inspections on school service providers in the interim.
