NTSA: Report school buses travelling past 6pm or before 6am

Police and NTSA officials conduct a road safety compliance check on vehicles in Runyenjes. /FILE

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has moved to enforce a long-standing legal provision that prohibits school buses from operating at night.

The renewed push comes as learners continue reporting to school for the first term of the 2026 academic calendar, which began on January 5.

Under the Traffic (Amendment) Act of 2017, school buses are barred from travelling between 6 pm and 6 am.

The rule was first enforced in 2018 following a spike in fatal nighttime bus accidents involving students.

The regulation is intended to enhance learner safety by limiting travel during hours considered high-risk due to reduced visibility and driver fatigue.

Around the same period, then Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i directed that all school buses be painted yellow as an additional safety measure.

The colour was chosen to improve visibility on the roads and alert other motorists to exercise extra caution when approaching the vehicles.

The directive followed several tragic incidents, including a night accident in Mwingi in which 10 pupils died after a school bus reportedly veered off the road and landed in a ditch while overtaking another vehicle on a narrow stretch.

Despite the regulations, enforcement has remained inconsistent over the years, with some schools continuing to operate buses outside the permitted hours, prompting calls for fresh crackdowns.

On August 5, 2025, Basic Education Permanent Secretary Julius Bitok warned that a majority of schools had been flouting the directive by running buses beyond the designated times.

The PS reiterated that the rule applies to all learning institutions, whether public or private, and warned that the government would take action against schools found in violation.

“Our regulations are very clear. Basic education regulations require that buses should not be on the road beyond 6 pm or before 6 am,” he said.

“I want to call on all our drivers and stakeholders: let us stick to the rules. That is the policy of the government, and everybody is directed.”

Bitok also instructed county directors of education to step up vigilance and crack down on schools and drivers flouting the law.

As school reopening continues, NTSA is now appealing to the public to report any school bus found transporting learners outside the stipulated hours.

Using the catchphrase Pumzisha Mboka (Sheng for “take a break from work”), the authority urged drivers to adhere strictly to the legal travel timelines.

“School buses are not permitted to operate before 6 am or after 6 pm to keep learners safe. Early morning and late evening travel increases risks,” NTSA said.

The authority further urged Kenyans to take photos or videos of vehicles being driven recklessly and share them via 0709-932-000 or upload the footage on NTSA’s social media pages.