The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has suspended the operator license of Super Metro bus company over multiple violations, including expired permits, faulty speed limiters, and unqualified drivers.
In a statement, NTSA warned the public against boarding Super Metro vehicles, emphasizing that non-compliant buses would be impounded, starting with inspections at the Likoni Inspection Centre.
“The decision was necessitated by the need to ensure the company is not only compliant but has also put in place safety measures to protect the lives of its passengers and other road users,” NTSA stated.
A recent inspection of 523 Super Metro vehicles revealed serious infractions: 15 vehicles had expired inspection certificates, eight lacked valid Road Service Licenses, and five had outdated speed limiter certificates.
Additionally, 88 vehicles failed to transmit speed data, while 171 had no speed limiter records.
The authority further found that Super Metro employed unqualified drivers, posing a major road safety risk.
The company was also found in breach of labor laws, failing to meet statutory obligations such as PAYE, NSSF, and NHIF remittances.
The suspension follows a tragic incident in which a passenger died after allegedly being pushed from a moving Super Metro bus over a Sh30 fare dispute. The driver involved has since been arrested.
Super Metro has been ordered to present 294 vehicles for compliance checks, submit 42 drivers for retesting, and provide proof of employee contracts and statutory deductions.
The ‘super sacco’ has over 600 vehicles estimated to be worth over Ksh 4 billion, 1500 crew members and billions worth of bank loans through financing deals
