This archive report was first published on 30 September 2019.
Published on September 30, 2019, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) in Kenya has suspended SWVL and Little Shuttle Bus Hailing Services in Nairobi, citing illegal operation without the required PSV licenses.
According to NTSA, the two services were operating shuttle services without the necessary licenses, contravening the terms of the Tour Service License (TSL). The authority claims that the vehicles under these hailing app companies have acquired TSL but are engaging in commuter service within Nairobi.
NTSA further stated that the two companies have never contacted the Authority to show any intention to operate as commuter service providers and have not registered their vehicles with the authority as required by Section 26 of the Transport and Safety Act No. 33 of 2012.
NTSA has given the services an ultimatum to comply with PSV regulations for them to continue operation.
Little Shuttle has already issued a statement announcing the shutdown of their service, leaving Nairobians who rely on SWVL and LITTLE SHUTTLE to find alternative means of transport.
Key Questions Arising from the Suspension ¶
- Are SWVL and LITTLE considered Matatus? Should they be?
- Should they follow matatu laws, including the use of the yellow line on 14 Seater SWVLs?
- Are there opportunities in Kenya for something different in the transport industry?
- How can the matatu sector be modernized if new ideas are not allowed to operate differently?
- Is Kenya opening up to new ideas that will help it grow, or are we backward and not ready for new ways of making things work?
