The government is set to bring three-wheelers, school vans, and office transport vehicles under formal regulation as interprovincial transport services, under the proposed National Transport Commission (Amendment) Bill presented to Parliament last week.
According to the Bill, all such transport services will be required to register with the National Transport Commission (NTC).
The Minister of Transport will have the authority, based on NTC recommendations, to officially designate these vehicles as eligible for interprovincial operations through a gazette notification.
Transport service providers will be required to obtain a “transportation service permit” from the commission and cannot legally operate without it.
The Minister will also have the power to classify types of transport services, and the NTC will issue certificates accordingly, which must be displayed clearly on the vehicle’s windscreen.
The bill introduces strict regulatory oversight by mandating that transport fares be calculated by the commission using a pre-determined formula and then approved by Parliament.
Once approved, fare lists must be published on the NTC’s official website.
Service providers will also be required to display approved fare charts inside their vehicles.
This move is aimed at formalizing and regulating informal transport services to ensure accountability, safety, and standardized pricing.
Authorities believe this framework will improve service quality and bring greater transparency to the public transport sector.
