YY coach services following a spate of accidents in just a month have compelled them to first put their hands off as they try to find a solution to the unending causes of accidents on road by their drivers and buses.
The company has 50 buses plying different routes in Eastern and Northern parts of Uganda including Mbale-Kampala, Soroti-Kampala, Lira-Kampala, Kampala-Apac and lira.
According to its operations Ali Gwaivu, the company’s leadership resolved to halt the operations of all their buses on different routes today, August 26, 2019, in order to improve service delivery.
The decision comes after buses belonging to the company were involved in four separate accidents, leaving 14 people dead and several others injured within a period of two weeks.
The first accident happened at Buseyi village along Iganga- Jinja highway, where two people died on spot and 42 injured after one of its buses under registration number UAQ906T overturned.
Another bus had a head-on collision with a commuter taxi at Busembatia on Tirinyi – Mbale road, leaving 10 people dead a week ago.
Another bus knocked one person dead at Kamonkoli trading centre in Budaka district. The bus was heading to Kampala.
Recently one of its buses knocked another person dead in Soroti town, leaving another one seriously injured.
Frequent travellers accused the company drivers of reckless driving and speeding;
“The management should increase their pay if it’s true that the drivers are paid peanuts,” he said.
Some of the employees of the bus company say each driver is paid Shs50, 000 per trip. The bus management, however, dismissed the allegations as false.
However the Inspector of Vehicles, Eastern region, Mr Richard Kakaire said; that there is a need for YY bus drivers to go for refresher courses.
‘‘I have asked YY bus management to send us their drivers and we take them through training,” he said’’.
Mr Kakaire adds that ‘‘if the YY bus continues getting involved in such accidents, the government may be forced to revoke their license’’.
The officer in charge of Traffic in the Elgon region, Mr Godfrey Mwesigye blamed the YY bus accidents on human errors made by drivers. Saying that,
‘‘These accidents are caused by reckless driving and some drivers don’t have knowledge on highway driving.’’DM