The road to redemption is proving bumpy for YY Coaches after only 16 drivers out of the 31 cleared buses were deemed fit to hit the road again.
In a dramatic twist, 15 YY bus drivers have been ordered to undergo mandatory refresher training at the Motor Vehicle Inspection Centre in Namanve, Wakiso District , following a sweeping compliance crackdown by the Ministry of Works and Transport.
This follows the extended suspension of YY Coach bus operations, originally meant to last just 15 days but stretched further due to serious safety concerns and two recent fatal crashes involving the company.
The Ministry’s Senior Communications Officer Allan Ssempebwa confirmed that only 16 drivers have met the ministry’s strict new standards.
“So far, 31 buses passed mechanical inspection,” he revealed. “But only 16 drivers qualified. The rest are going for more training , that’s why only 16 buses are back on the road.”
He added that both driver retraining and bus inspections are still ongoing: “It’s not yet over. We’ll keep the public informed once the process is complete.”
YY Coach, which runs a fleet of 66 buses, has now been forced to comply with rigorous new measures including: Full mechanical inspections of all buses, Submission of driver appointment letters, Mandatory refresher courses for drivers.
The tough love comes after Transport Minister Fred Byamukama ordered an indefinite suspension of YY operations on May 14, following two separate road crashes that left the public furious and questioning the company’s safety culture.