Relief For Matatu Owners As Gov’t Allows More Passengers

Public Service Vehicle (PSV) owners can now breathe easy after the government relaxed COVID-19 measures.

In the new measures as announced by Transport CS James Macharia, matatus will be allowed to ferry more passengers.

For example, 14 seater matatus will now carry 10 passengers while those with a 33-seater capacity will be allowed 18 people.

51 seaters will carry 30 passengers while boda bodas will only be allowed one passenger per trip.

Tuktuks are currently being allowed to carry one passenger but the CS asked the ministry of health to relax the rules and allow 2 persons for every single trip.

Vehicles with a 7-seater capacity will carry 5 people while those with a 5 seater capacity will have on board three passengers.

Bus companies that travel for long distances will be required to keep passenger contact details for at least one month in case of contact tracing.

“The bus companies will provide without undue delay and without prejudice the full names, nationality, passport or ID Number, telephone number allocated seat and usual residence to the relevant public health authorities upon request for contact tracing purposes,” the new guidelines read.

“They must sensitize passengers on safety measures before departure for the distance journey and ensure that every public service vehicle have waste bins with a liner for safe waste disposal.”

CS Macharia also noted that cashless payment of fares will be implemented to reduce contact between the passengers and crew.

In March when the first case of Coronavirus was confirmed in the country, the government announced measures to help curb the spread of the disease by decongesting the PSVs.

Then, 14-seater matatus carried eight passengers, those with a 25-seater capacity reduced to 15 passengers while those above a 30-seater capacity were directed to maintain a capacity of 60 per cent per trip.

For the past three months, commuters have been forced to dig deeper into their pockets following hiked fares.

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