The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has approved only four taxi companies to operate in the country, despite calls for new registration.
According to a notice issued by NTSA Director General George Njao on Monday, October 31, only Uber, Bolt, Yego, and Little Cab are permitted to operate in the country.
“In carrying out its mandate and in accordance with the requirements of the NTSA Transport Network Companies (TNC), Drivers and Passenger Rules, 2022, the following companies have been licensed to operate as Transport Network Companies,” according to the statement.
Taxi companies were required to have a physical address and a working contact number, both of which were listed in the notice.
Despite the fact that there are more than ten companies in the country, the NTSA announced on October 26 that it had received applications from six of them.
The Transportation Network Companies (TNC), Drivers and Passenger Rules Act, which went into effect in June, prompted the new registration.
The Data Commissioner required all companies seeking new registration to demonstrate tax compliance and to be duly registered as data controllers or data processors.
Furthermore, the NTSA mandated that the businesses obtain a certificate of incorporation as well as a standard contract between the TNCs and the owners of the vehicles in their fleet.
Among the other documents are a revenue-sharing agreement between the company and the drivers, a pricing mechanism, a list of vehicles in the fleet, a deactivation policy, and a procedure for activating and deactivating subscriptions.
Notably, the act required drivers to give passengers receipts at the end of each trip. Cab drivers were also not allowed to tint their vehicles or smoke or drink while on the job.
Passengers are not permitted to use offensive language or gestures, or to act in an unruly manner.
