On March 20, 2025, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) suspended Super Metro Limited's operator license due to multiple safety and compliance violations.
Key Findings from NTSA's Audit:
Vehicle Compliance Issues: Out of 523 vehicles, 15 had expired inspection certificates, and eight were operating with expired Road Service Licenses (RSLs).
Speed Limiter Infractions: Five vehicles had expired speed limiter certificates, 88 were not transmitting speed data, 171 lacked speed limiter records, seven had no vendor details for their speed limiters, and 109 were operating beyond the speed limit of 80 km/h.
Driver Qualifications: Several drivers did not meet the required qualifications, presenting significant safety risks.
Labor Law Violations: The company failed to provide proper employment contracts, statutory deductions, and workplace safety measures for its staff.
Conditions for License Reinstatement:
NTSA has outlined several conditions that Super Metro must fulfill before its license can be reinstated:
Vehicle Compliance: Present all 294 vehicles flagged for violations for compliance checks with speed limiter vendors and inspections at the Likoni Motor Vehicle Inspection Centre.
Driver Retesting: Present 42 drivers with speed violations for retesting at the Likoni Driver Test Centre. Previously, 64 drivers failed a retest on March 10, 2025, leading to the suspension of their licenses.
Labor Compliance: Submit signed employment contracts for all staff, along with six months' worth of payroll records, to demonstrate compliance with labor laws.
Safety Sensitization: Conduct mandatory road safety sensitization sessions for all drivers, supervised by NTSA officers, and submit reports, photos, minutes, and attendance records.
Public Advisory:
The public is advised against boarding Super Metro vehicles during this suspension period. The Traffic Department has been instructed to impound any Super Metro vehicles found operating contrary to the suspension.
Super Metro's Response:
Despite the suspension, Super Metro's CEO confirmed that their vehicles were still operating on Thursday, as they had already commenced the day's operations before learning of the suspension. The CEO expressed concerns about abruptly halting operations, citing the impact on their over 500 vehicles and loyal customers. The company is considering appealing to the NTSA tribunal to challenge the suspension.
This suspension follows recent incidents involving Super Metro, including a tragic event where a passenger died after being thrown out of a moving bus over a fare dispute.
