Now PSVs to be fitted with digital speed governors

By JOB WERU

Owners of public service vehicles have until the end of next month to install digital speed governors.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) yesterday said the speed governors should also have speed recorders which are retrievable by motor vehicle inspectors.

NTSA Acting Director General Isaac Kamau indicated in an advertisement published in a section of dailies yesterday that in the meantime, inspection of motor vehicles will continue with the old speed governors.

“The speed governors shall incorporate a mechanism for recording the speed of the vehicle and this data shall be retrievable by the motor vehicle inspector,” he said.

He added: “Inspection of motor vehicles will continue with the old speed governors until February 28, 2014, but an interim inspection certificate will be issued by the licensing authority,” read the statement in part.

Not tamper-proof

But the NTSA insisted that vehicles with interim inspection certificates must be fitted with the correct speed governors by March 31 this year.

The current gadgets used by PSVs are not tamper-proof and matatus drivers especially, have been accused of using switches to deactivate the them when there are no traffic officers in sight.

Last week, Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau published traffic regulations banning night travel for PSVs.

The new regulations also require operators of PSVs to have fleet management system to monitor the speed and location of the vehicles.

“The operators must subscribe to a data storage system, which is capable of storing data on vehicle speed, location and operation for a period of 30 days and when required by the authority, provide the data before expiry of the prescribed time,” read part of the regulations.

The new rules also demand that the operators keep a passenger manifest and banned the vehicles from operating operating commercial cargo services.

“Ensure that except for courier services, the long distance PSV vehicle does not operate as a commercial cargo carrier and does not have a cargo carrier mounted on the top,” they read.

But Wambugu Nyamu, the proprietor of Ekas Technology, a licenced manufacturer and fitter of governors, said the two-month period provided for was too short, noting that even the international market does not have capacity to supply the new governors within that time.

“The period is too short and might lead to a transport crisis since not many people may be able to procure the gadgets within the provided time. We need at least six months,” said Nyamu.