Proposed PSV rule changes aim to streamline industry
By Rawlings Otieno, June 25, 2025Those wishing to become Public Service Vehicle (PSV) drivers will be forced to acquire mandatory qualifications to get a PSV license if a new bill is enacted.
The Traffic Laws (Universal Design) (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Nominated Senator Crystal Asige, seeks to rein in rogue operators and make the public transport system safer and more inclusive, especially for persons living with disabilities (PWDs).
The omnibus Bill amends at least four Acts of Parliament, including the Traffic Act, the Kenya Roads Act, the National Transport and Safety Authority Act and the National Construction Authority Act.
This, even as the Bill seeks to encourage the use of cashless fare collection systems by giving the Cabinet Secretary the power to introduce incentives to operators who adopt such systems.
Should the proposed law be enacted, the already PSV drivers will have to brush up on their customer care, first aid, emergency response, and defensive driving skills.
“The Bill amends the Traffic Act to provide for the testing of specific skills in persons applying for licenses to drive public service vehicles,” reads the draft law in part.
PWD seats
According to Asige, PSV operators are mandated to have dedicated seats for PWDs in their vehicles, while the PSV drivers will be required to stop their vehicles and give way to persons with disabilities when crossing the roads.
The Bill, which is set for the first reading at the Senate, introduces the concept of universal design in transport and infrastructure, ensuring systems are accessible and usable by all, regardless of age, size, ability, or disability.
“Universal design means the design and composition of buildings, roads, technologies, products, or services in a way that they can be accessed, understood, and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, without the need for adaptation or specialised design,” reads the bill in part.
Sound communication
The Bill also provides for controlled ‘noise’ in the vehicles so that it is not so loud as to impair the navigation or communication of persons who utilise sound to navigate or communicate.
“The amendments to the National Transport Authority Act aim to ensure accessibility and ease of use of public transport by persons with disability,” the Bill reads in part.
The Bill further seeks to amend section 5 of the National Construction Authority (NCA) Act to ensure that buildings are designed in a manner that facilitates continuous access and use of facilities by PWDs.
“Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the Authority shall ensure that all buildings— are accessible by a person with a disability; and have parking spaces reserve at least two parking spaces or five percent of all the parking spaces, whichever is more, to persons with disability,” reads part of the bill.
Asige’s bill further provides for the reservation of parking spaces for persons with disability, and ensures such persons can easily use lifts, walkways and washrooms.
“The Bill also amends section 7 of the National Construction Authority Act to provide for one of the representatives appointed in the board of the National Construction Authority to represent special interests in the construction industry to be a person with disability,” the Bill states.