THE National Transport and Safety Authority yesterday started cracking down on public service vehicles with noisy exhaust pipes and excessive, offensive graffiti.
Seven PSVs operating from Nairobi’s CBD to Rongai were impounded on Magadi Road and their registration plates plucked off for non-compliance with the regulations.
NTSA chairman Lee Kinyanjui said the owners of the matatus were required to remove the modified exhaust pipes which are noisy, have graffiti on glass and exterior lights.
They are also required to remove interior roving lights that could be harmful to passengers.
“The matatus are licensed to offer public transport services to old, young, sick and other members of society. The music in those vehicles should not be a nuisance to anyone,” Kinyanjui said.
“These matatus are driven close to hospitals, schools, libraries or parked outside supermarkets and offices. This causes a lot of discomfort. What purpose does such noise serve?”
Kinyanjui said the exterior lights interfere with the hazards, causing confusion among drivers.
He said this is a threat to road safety. Kinyanjui said talks with sacco managers have achieved more failures than successes.
“We are receiving complaints from road users and have been in talks with owners of these matatus for the last three weeks over the same issue. But there has been no compliance,” he said.
“The crackdown will go on until the laws are complied with.”
The NTSA wants matatus with offensive images, words, pictures and symbols to pull them down.
The matatus are not required to have more than 50 per cent of the body painted with multiple colours or have painted glass, including side mirrors.