Kenya NTSA PSV Bus Test

Expect a written or oral theory component on the Traffic Act, signs and PSV rules, a practical drive in the class of bus you will operate, and verbal questions from the examiner as you go. The examiner is watching whether your observation, speed choice and passenger awareness hold up under mild pressure.

Those figures are set administratively and change from time to time. The National Transport and Safety Authority publishes the current test structure, so check its official website or your testing centre rather than relying on numbers from other candidates, which are often out of date.

Passing marks and fees are administrative matters published by NTSA. Confirm the current figures on the official NTSA site or at the station where you book. Any specific number quoted by a friend or a driving school should be verified before you pay.

Harder, mainly because of the vehicle. A bus amplifies every error: a late brake becomes a passenger falling, a wide turn becomes a kerb strike. The theory is not obscure, but examiners expect you to explain PSV obligations fluently and to handle the bus smoothly at low speed.

Retakes are permitted, but the waiting period, fee and any required refresher training are set by NTSA and can differ by centre. Ask at booking what applies to you, and use the interval to fix the specific weakness the examiner identified rather than repeating the same preparation.

Start with the Traffic Act, PSV regulations and documentation, because that material is finite and you can be questioned on it directly. Then drill the pre-departure inspection until it is a fixed routine. Practise vehicle handling and hazard perception in a real bus last, since those improve only with seat time.

Three patterns recur: weak observation - missing mirror and blind-spot checks before moving off or reversing; poor low-speed control, especially reversing and tight turns; and shaky knowledge of PSV documentation and passenger-safety duties. Fatigue and rushing the pre-check also show up as avoidable errors.

That depends on the testing centre and the arrangement you book. Some candidates present through an operator or SACCO that supplies a vehicle; others book through a driving school. Confirm the vehicle requirement, its class and its insurance position with the centre when you schedule.

Practise saying your answers aloud in full sentences. Explain why you check a tyre, what you do at a crash scene, when you may refuse to carry a passenger. Examiners are testing whether you can think and speak clearly as a professional driver, not whether you can recite a list.

The test is one part of the licensing process. You also need the correct driving licence class, a PSV badge, and compliance with medical and good-conduct requirements. Confirm the full sequence and current validity period with NTSA, as these details are administrative and subject to change.