The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has issued a transport safety checklist for schools ahead of next week’s reopening, urging administrators to ensure all school vehicles meet road safety requirements.
In a statement on August 19, NTSA advised schools to ensure their transport vehicles are roadworthy and have valid inspection certificates, Road Service Licenses (RSL), and insurance before carrying learners.
“As schools prepare to reopen, all school administrators are urged to ensure that their transport vehicles are roadworthy and compliant with safety regulations,” NTSA said.
Key NTSA Checks for School Transport
NTSA will also require speed limiters in school vehicles to transmit data to its Intelligent Road Safety Management System (IRSMS).
Drivers and conductors should have valid driving licenses and Public Service Vehicle (PSV) badges. Vehicles should also be properly serviced, with brakes, tires, lights and side mirrors in good working condition.
The authority has further reminded schools to ensure all learners wear seat belts and that vehicles do not carry excess passengers.
While in transit, children should not be allowed to hang any part of their bodies outside the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.
“All children have their seat belts on, no excess passengers, and no child/body parts are hanging outside the vehicle,” NTSA stated.
NTSA has also urged drivers and conductors to report cases where a child is suspected to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
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Recent School Bus Crashes Raise Safety Concerns
The latest NTSA safety checklist comes against the background of several school transport accidents reported in 2026.
In June, a school bus carrying 59 learners overturned along the Eldama Ravine–Nakuru route.
A few days later, in July, two school buses carrying 101 pupils collided near Turkwel Dam in West Pokot, leaving at least 13 students injured.
In August, a Queen of Angels Comprehensive School bus carrying students to the Kenya Music Festival crashed in Bomet, leaving six people injured, according to reports.
On August 9, a school bus belonging to Sensi Mixed Secondary School was involved in a head-on collision with a motorcycle along the Nyansiongo–Kisii–Kilgoris road. Four motorcyclists were reportedly killed in the crash.
Existing Rules Remain in Force
The Senate annulled the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2026, alongside two other NTSA instruments, on July 23, 2026.
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The annulled rules had proposed measures including reflectorized stop arms, telematics, passenger-facing cameras and restrictions on hiring out school buses during weekends and school holidays.
Following the annulment, the immediate legal framework for school transport reverted to existing traffic regulations and NTSA’s enforcement powers.
These include requirements relating to vehicle roadworthiness, speed limiters, seat belts and Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licensing.
Schools and transport operators are still expected to comply with core road safety requirements.
These include maintaining roadworthy vehicles, ensuring learners use seat belts, using compliant speed limiters, and ensuring drivers are properly licensed and fit to operate school transport.
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