Parents push for PSVs night travel as schools reopen
Stranded passengers outside Utange bus terminus in Mombasa on Friday. Travellers have cried foul over the ban on public transport vehicles as the back-to-school rush begins. Photo/Kevin Odit
What you need to know:
The government introduced a night travel ban on December 24 restricting all public transport vehicles to operate between 6am and 6pm, with the latest arrival being at 9pm.
Lobby says ban on public transport after 6pm may expose school children to risks.
Kenya Secondary School Heads Association chairman John Awiti said that that easy access to drugs by students poses a great challenge in schools, adding that a prolonged travel might leave them vulnerable.
Parents want the ban on night travel by public service vehicles (PSVs) lifted for this week to allow students report back to school for the first term.
Kenya National Association of Parents secretary- general Musau Ndunda said that the ban would increase the cost of reporting back to school and undermine the safety of students, especially those from distant areas who may be forced spend a night enroute.
“If a child is travelling from Mombasa to a national school in western Kenya, parents will have to budget for night accommodation and additional meals,” said Mr Ndunda.
The government introduced a night travel ban on December 24 restricting all public transport vehicles to operate between 6am and 6pm, with the latest arrival being at 9pm.
The ban during the peak travel season left many commuters stranded and several bus companies unable to take on new bookings as they accommodated the change. This has seen operators hike bus fares.
“Parents cannot guarantee where their children will sleep for the night, whether or not they will be exposed to drugs and alcohol and many of them will have to accompany them to schools,” he said.
Kenya Secondary School Heads Association chairman John Awiti said that that easy access to drugs by students poses a great challenge in schools, adding that a prolonged travel might leave them vulnerable.
“We support what the government is doing to reduce accidents on the roads. The safety of the students’ precedes the lost time that can be attributed to late reporting,” he said.
Mr Awiti advised parents to ensure that their children leave home early in order to reach the schools on time and not to send fees in cash but through electronic payments, bank deposits and bankers cheques that most schools have embraced.
National Transport and Safety Authority chairman Lee Kinyanjui, however, said the ban would not affect the opening of schools because fewer people would be travelling compared to the Christmas season.
“PSVs need to inform commuters about their travel schedules in order to enable parents plan early and book morning vehicles for their children,” he said.
Buses and shuttles are required to apply for special licences if they wish to operate at night. The companies are required to ensure that their vehicles are in order and are driven by experienced crew in shifts through a designated route. But this will come at an additional cost for transport firms.
“We are liaising with the Ministry of Health in order to identify the officials that will perform medical examinations on drivers including night vision and testing for drugs,” said Mr Kinyanjui.
