@Alicewangechi
A Murang’a matatu sacco has embarked on an impromptu inspection of its fleet on the roads to ensure vehicles are roadworthy this festive season.
Murang’a Shuttle has dispatched a team of officials to the roads to conduct random inspections to ensure operators adhere to its rules.
The checks conducted every couple of months will now be intensified until the end of the year according to sacco director Martin Wairimu.
Wairimu said that the sacco does not wait for law enforcers to inspect their vehicles as any misbehaviour by operators affects it directly.
“These random inspections instill faith in our passengers because both drivers and conductors do not misbehave on the roads,” he said.
Wairimu spoke during an inspection exercise along Murang’a-Kenol road on Thursday.
He said the main offence identified was that of cracked windscreens and that the vehicles involved were given an ultimatum to have them replaced.
The director noted that the inspections also give the sacco an opportunity to interact with passengers and understand their experiences on the road.
“We use these inspections to inform our passengers what they should do in case they encounter an unruly operator and encourage them to contact us immediately through phone numbers written in all matatus,” he said.
Passengers in the inspected vehicles received free drinking water from the sacco.
Those travelling to Nairobi received a Sh200 refund of their fares.
“We are doing this to celebrate an early Christmas with our passengers who have supported us for more than a decade,” the director added.
Such activities, he said, enable the sacco that has a fleet of 60 vehicles to provide efficient transport services while staying ahead of the competition.
The matatus are only allowed to pick passengers from the designated bus stops and operators who pick in un-designated areas are in breach of the law, he said.
Roy Waweru, another director said many passengers were found to not be fastening seat belts and were informed on the need to have them in place.
“The vehicles with issues have been instructed to head straight to garage and will not be allowed to operate until they are fully inspected,” he added.
Offenders, he said, are warned twice and suspended the third time.