The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has highlighted the measures it employs to prevent motorists with suspended licences from continuing to operate, amid growing public concern over rogue drivers.
In a statement on Thursday, January 15, NTSA confirmed that it maintains a centralised, digital database of all suspended and revoked driving licences, ensuring that offenders cannot easily move between transport firms or SACCOs.
Concerns had been raised online about drivers evading suspensions by joining new SACCOs. One user wrote: “You need a central database of suspended drivers and conductors. Otherwise, they can just join another SACCO and remain a danger.”
NTSA reassured the public that once a driver’s licence is suspended, the individual cannot operate under any registered SACCO and must return to a licensed driving school for retraining before reinstatement. “We have the database. Suspended drivers must go back to school to train afresh,” the authority said.
The Authority also addressed fears that suspended drivers could work in private transport companies outside the SACCO system, noting that all drivers’ records are digitally accessible to any potential employer via the free NTSA mobile app and online service portal.
The statement followed the suspension of a driver and conductor captured in a viral video recklessly pushing a girl on the roadside on December 31. NTSA revealed that the duo had been disengaged by their SACCO, and the driver had failed a retest, resulting in licence suspension.
By combining real-time digital tracking with mandatory retraining, NTSA aims to ensure suspended drivers cannot slip through the cracks, strengthening road safety across Kenya.