•The NPS and the NTSA will heighten night enforcement and random checks along major highways, with a focus on blackspots
•They should also ensure that stalled vehicles are removed from roads at the cost of owners
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All school buses will be required to undergo inspection before May I in new measures by the government to combat road carnage.
The joint inter-ministerial statement by the Ministries of Transport and Interior released on Tuesday has directed all learning institutions to present their vehicles for inspection by the said date.
" It will help to assess their mechanical soundness and whether speed limiters installed on them are functional," reads the statement.
Additionally, operating hours for school buses have been restricted to between 6am and 7pm.
Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen also ordered the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to stop giving out new routes to public service vehicle (PSV) operators.
This will allow the authority to review of all existing routes issued to PSV operators.
Murkomen mentioned that they'll start this process after they finish checking all the current routes and operators.
He also said that they should stop giving short-term PSV licenses until they've reviewed all the PSV routes.
"The National Police Service and the NTSA will heighten night enforcement and random checks along major highways, with a focus on blackspots," Murkomen said.
"They should also ensure that stalled vehicles are removed from roads at the cost of owners," he added.
Under the new measures, all vehicles operating without the required licenses will be impounded, and the owner and driver charged in line with the Traffic Act.
Similarly, all excess passengers, drivers and conductors will be detained and charged.
"We appeal to the Judiciary to mete out the highest possible penalties to traffic offenders, including riders, pedestrians, drivers and passengers," Murkomen said.
Regarding fatigue management, Murkomen instructed that drivers must follow the mandated eight-hour working shift as per the regulations.
He mentioned that Saccos whose drivers are in accidents and are discovered to have exceeded the permitted working hours will face suspension of their operator licenses and vehicle insurance.
In addition, Murkomen also suspended all operators not meeting the minimum threshold of serviceable vehicles, non-compliance with road service licences, inspection certificates and PSV licenses.
The CS also suspended all speed limiter vendors with low performance in speed management from fitting new gadgets until an assessment by the NTSA is completed.
However, they will be expected to maintain 100 per cent compliance on vehicles already fitted with the limiters, he said.
On the issue of boda boda and pedestrian safety, the CS directed that the County Governments and the NPS enforce all relevant sections of the Traffic Act to ensure compliance and safeguard lives.