Matatus double fares after capacity cut

Matatu operators in Nairobi Monday doubled fares, following the government’s order to space passengers in vehicles that have cut capacity by up to 40 percent to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

A spot-check by Business Daily showed that fare on a one-way trip from Pipeline in Eastlands to the city centre doubled from Sh50 to Sh100, similar to that on Ngong Road, while Ruiru residents paid Sh100 up from the normal Sh70.

Commuters from Buru Buru were charged Sh120 in the morning, double the normal Sh60, while the fare from Kitengela doubled to Sh100 from Sh50.

Umoja commuters paid an extra Sh20 to Sh100, and Roysambu matatus charged Sh100 instead of the normal Sh70.

Kenina Koiya, a conductor on Kangemi route, said they raised fare by Sh10 to Sh50 on a one-way trip to cushions themselves from lower commuter numbers and reduced capacity per vehicle.

“Usually, by 3pm, we would have made 10 trips but today we have only managed three. Generally, the business is doing badly,” Mrs Koiya said.

At Kencom bus terminus, most of the buses that serve Upperhill and Kawangware areas had made only five trips by afternoon instead of the usual eight.

The new directive requires 14-seater matatus to carry a maximum of eight passengers, 25-seaters to limit passengers to 15, while those with over 30 seats are allowed to utilise 60 percent of their capacity.

This is aimed at minimising congestion in public service vehicles (PSVs) that are known to fill passengers during off-peak and peak-hours.

On longer distance routes, PSVs have also doubled their fares. For instance, the 14-seaters plying Nairobi-Nakuru route increased fares from Sh300 to Sh600, similar to those on the Nyeri-Nairobi route.