NTSA revokes 51 licences in move against illegal driving schools

The National Transport and Safety Authority has revoked the licences of 51 driving schools over failure to provide documents required for the validation exercise that began in April.

NTSA Director-General Francis Meja made this announcement on Thursday, saying the schools are in counties including Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Machakos.

The others are in Embu, Kisii, Kisumu Kakamega, Meru, Garissa, Thika, Kiambu, Bungoma, Murang’a, Eldoret and Marsabit.

“The authority has revoked their licenses and deactivated their access to the NTSA Driving School Portal,” Mr Meja said, noting documents submitted will be used to establish compliance levels.

THE SCHOOLS

The NTSA is tasked with licensing drivers, formulating and reviewing the driving school curriculum, vide section 4(2)(i) and (j) of the National Transport and Safety Authority Act, 2012.

It revoked the licences as part of efforts to weed out schools operating illegally.

The schools affected are as follows:

List of driving schools whose licences have been revoked

Nairobi

1. Charkar Trade Company- Embakasi

2. Ganatra Plant and Equipment Training Institute Limited –Baba DogoRoad

3. Kifaru Driving School -Eastleigh

4. Motory cycle Riding School (K) Limited Ngara

5. Printax Driving School –Village Market

6. Safe Link Driving School- Ruaraka

7. Sony Driving School -Ongata Rongai

8. World International Driving- Donholm

Embu

1. NationWide Driving School

2. Mike Saba Driving School

3. Jabs Driving School

Kisii and Kisumu

1. Imperial Driving School - Rongo, Kisii

2. Samtech Driving School - Kisumu

3. KwachDrivingSchool - Kisumu

4. Leach Driving School - Kisumu

5. Captain Driving School - Kisumu

Bungoma and Mombasa

1. Sayona Driving School - Bungoma

2. Gakara Driving School

3. Iqra Driving School

4. Isma Driving School and Computer Services

Meru and Marsabit

1. Turima Driving School - Meru

2. Marsabit Driving School

Nakuru

1. Mercy Driving School

2. Motorcycle Riding School

3. Kareu Hardware Driving School

4. Rift Valley Institute of Business Studies

5. Batian Driving School -Naivasha

Uasin Gishu, Thika, Kiambu and Garissa

1. Camy Driving School- Eldoret

2. LifeStyle Driving School- Ngariga

3. Baraka Driving School -Kimbimbi

4. Geombuki Driving School-Branch- Thika

5. Digitex Driving School -Thika

6. Thogoto Technology- Kikuyu

7. Gakuyo Plant Operators Driving School- Thika

8. Aha Driving School Limited -Thika

9. Nyaga Youth Polytechnic Driving School -Ngewa

10. Excel Driving School -Garissa

11. Petanns Driving School And Computer College Limited -Ruaka

12. St.Kizito Driving school- Mwihoko

13. Waki Driving School- Gatundu

14. Shanik Driving School -Thika

15. Batian Driving School- Makuyu

16. Sony Driving School Muranga-Kenol

17. Angelica Ventures Company Limited -Thika

18. Joho Driving School Limuru-Town

19. Denis Motor Vehicle Training and Driving School -Matuu

20. Ithoka Driving School Mwingi

Machakos

1. Amon Driving School

2. Double Vision Driving School

3. Kaewa Technical Training & Driving School

4. Autotech Automobile Driving School Kitengela-Namanga

VEHICLE INSPECTION

The authority also issued tough guidelines on the inspection of vehicles in a bid to tame road carnage. 

Under the new regulations, all private vehicles which are more than four years old will undergo inspection every two years.

“All commercial, public service and driving school vehicles, [as well as] school buses shall undergo a pre-registration inspection and an annual periodic vehicle inspection thereafter," the authority said.

The NTSA further said that all salvage vehicles will undergo inspections after repairs and and an annual periodic inspection thereafter.

“All vehicles involved in an accident may be subjected to a motor vehicle inspection test," the regulations state.

“All vehicles which undergo any changes in length, height, width, maximum payload, colour, engine swap and other major structural or mechanical changes shall be subject to a modification inspection," the authority added.

It also said, “All vehicles shall be inspected for safety requirements during an inspection in accordance with Kenya Standard 1515, and any other standard adopted by the Kenya Bureau of Standards, from time to time and any other relevant legislation.”

INSPECTORS

The regulations also say that a person interested in becoming a vehicle inspector will make an application to the NTSA and meet all requirements.

“The authority shall licence privately owned vehicle inspection centres to conduct motor vehicle inspection tests on its behalf,” the authority said,

The NTSA will also only issue a privately owned vehicle inspection centre licence to the applicant if it is satisfied that the proposed centre meets space and equipment requirements and is not engaged in the business of repairing vehicles.

“A privately-owned vehicle inspection centre licence shall only authorise use as the inspection centre the premises named therein. No other premises shall be considered to be so authorised by such a licence."

NTSA officials will be expected to routinely inspect the centres.

They will check for suitability to perform inspections for the types of vehicles specified in the licence, compliance or adherence to procedures in operating manuals and adequacy of record management.

They will also check for qualifications of persons engaged in vehicle inspection and investigate complaints from customers.