Super Metro Drops 269 Drivers After Tribunal Ruling

Super Metro has revealed that it will be disengaging 269 drivers following a ruling issued by the Transport Licensing Appeals Board Tribunal.

Speaking exclusively to Money254.co.ke, Super Metro's CEO Nelson Nduki confirmed that the company would comply with the ruling even as the drivers take a retest.

According to the CEO, the drivers will be rehired once they successfully complete the retest.

‍Why It Matters: Super Metro, which ferries thousands of commuters a day and is a beloved PSV brand on the roads, has found itself in regulators' crosshairs after a series of discretions its staff is associated with, including pushing a passenger to their death from a moving vehicle. The suspension of its services affects many users.

“We have many drivers. We have 550 vehicles, and each vehicle is required to have two drivers in case of anything. This is because one can fall sick or take an off,” he stated.

“Even if we disengage, it is not going to hurt our business. Again, we are not disengaging them and expelling them from our company. What we are doing is we are going to disengage them, they will go for retest and they will be hired back.”

In a ruling on Monday, April 14, the transport tribunal ordered the company to drop the drivers following a dispute that emerged between the Sacco and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) - which suspended its operating licence in March.

Super Metro was also directed to present 42 of their drivers to undertake retesting after being found to have engaged in several traffic violations.

The company was also instructed to have all its drivers attend a road safety sensitization training.

"The appellant shall immediately furnish the minutes and the attendance list of Road Safety Sensitization of all its drivers to the Director of Road Safety of the Respondents,” read the ruling in part.

Also Read: Areas to Spend Over Ksh175 on Fuel Despite Price Drop, Super Metro Ordered to Suspend All Buses

Further, the matatu company was instructed to submit 39 of their vehicles for various compliance inspections at the Likoni Motor Vehicle Inspection center.

Earlier, the sacco also announced that it would be suspending operations for 3 days to ensure that they comply with the orders of the tribunal.

"Super Metro Limited fully respects the decisions of the TLAB and the court. We are working diligently to address the outstanding compliance issues within the stipulated timeframe and will resume operations as soon as we receive approval from the relevant authorities," Super Metro announced.

"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this temporary suspension may cause to our customers and stakeholders. Super Metro Limited remains dedicated to providing safe, reliable, and efficient transport services, and we appreciate your understanding and support during this period."

In March, NTSA suspended Super Metro's licence after a comprehensive analysis of over 500 buses.

Some of the infractions noted were the expiry of inspection certificates for 15 vehicles and the expiry of Road Service Licences (RSL) for 8 vehicles.

Some of the vehicles were also not transmitting speed data and operating beyond the 80km per hour limit.

"On compliance with The Traffic (Driving Schools, Driving Instructors and Driving Licences) Rules, 2020, it was established that the driving credentials of the drivers assigned to the Company's portal do not meet the required qualifications, which present a major road safety risk," NTSA documented.

"The Company was also in violation of the provisions of the NTSA (Operation of Public Service Vehicles) Regulations 2014, Section 5, sub-section 1(e) which states. A person desirous of operating public service vehicles shall be a member of a body corporate which shall comply with labour laws and regulations including in respect to statutory deductions, health and safety of the workplace, Work Injuries Benefits Act (Cap. 236) Insurance, statutory leave days and written contracts of employment for staff."

Also Read: NTSA Revokes Licenses for 64 Matatu Saccos [FULL LIST]