The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has licensed nine new ride-hailing companies lifting the number of licensed online taxis from 5 in November 2022 to 14.

The newly-licensed operators are An Nisa Taxi, Hava Net, H Cab, PTG, TMNK, Amicable Travel Service, Maramoja, Move On Telecoms, and J-Ride.

The new firms join the widely known Uber, Bolt, Yego, and Farasi in the ride-sharing service. According to NTSA, the firms were licensed as per regulations gazetted in June 2022 and effected on 20th September 2022.

NTSA seeks to license digital hailing firms just as they do with matatus and buses to streamline the sector. The regulations gazetted on June 20, 2022, require that transport network service providers be licensed before their apps can be used in the country.

The regulations also capped the commission paid to the companies by the drivers at 18 percent of the amount earned from each trip.

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Uber, however, filed a petition to declare the regulation unconstitutional. Uber used to charge a 25 percent commission, while Bolt was at 20 percent.

NTSA also demands digital taxi companies ensure that drivers’ licenses are valid and that vehicles are insured and roadworthy.

“Each transport network company shall provide a panic button with an appropriate response for the drivers and passengers in the digital platform, which shall be connected to a response center which will be manned at all times,” the Transport Network Companies, Owners, Drivers, and Passengers Regulations, 2022 say in part.

Before commencing a trip, the companies are also required to provide the passenger information on the model of the vehicle for the trip, the vehicle registration number, the name and photo of the driver, and the estimated fare.

Further, NTSA requires digital taxis to provide a printed or electronic receipt to the passenger detailing the rate of the trip, the date and time, where the passenger was picked and where they were dropped off, etc., at the end of each trip.

The companies are also required to limit drivers to eight eight-hour working duration using a system that automatically logs out the driver at the end of that duration.

Under the regulations, taxi drivers are not allowed to carry any other person without the consent of the passenger during a trip.

Drivers of the taxis are also not allowed to drive under the influence of a substance, nor are they allowed to smoke or chew khat inside the vehicle.

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The rules also require hailing companies to expel from their systems and notify NTSA in case a driver is accused of various crimes such as sexual misconduct, drink-driving, physical assault, and verbal abuse, among others.