YY Bus company halts operations over spate of accidents

YY Coaches and Courier Services Company, one of the leading bus transporters in Eastern Uganda has halted operations for one day following a spate of accidents over the last month.

According to its Operations Manager, Mr Ali Gwaivu, the company’s leadership resolved to halt the operations of all their buses on different routes today, in order improve service delivery.

The company, which started operations in 2008, has more than 50 buses plying different routes in eastern and northern parts of the country including Mbale-Kampala, Soroti-Kampala, Lira-Kampala, and Kampala-Apac - Lira.

“We are not working today because we have a general meeting with all staff members," Mr Gwaivu, said, adding that the buses would resume operations on August27, 2019.

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 the of the YY bus 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.

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YY Coaches on the spot over spate of accidents

Police and passengers have attributed the accidents to recklessness and speeding

Another bus knocked one person dead at Kamonkoli trading centre in Budaka district. The bus was heading to Kampala.

Recently another bus knocked another person dead in Soroti town, leaving another one seriously injured.

Frequent travellers accused the company drivers of reckless driving and speeding.

They also said the buses lack functional seatbelts, a first aid box, customer care, among others but the management dismisses the allegations.

Moses Okoth a businessman, told Daily Monitor that as passengers they happy with the decision to halt the operations and find and resolve the challenges.

“It's good that they finally realized that there is problem and they have called for a meeting,” he said.

Mr Okoth said the drivers should be warned against speeding.

“The management should increase what they pay to drivers if it’s true that the drivers are paid peanuts,” he said.

Some of the employees of the bus company, who talked to Daily Monitor recently on condition of anonymity said each driver is paid Shs50, 000 per trip.  The bus management, however, dismissed the allegations as false.

The Inspector of Vehicles, eastern region, Mr Richard Kakaire, said, however, that there is need for the drivers to go for a refresher course.

"I have asked YY Bus Company management to send us their drivers and we take them through a training,"   he said.

Mr Kakaire said if the company buses continue getting involved in such accidents, government may be forced to revoke the company's operation licence.

The officer in charge of traffic in Elgon region, Mr Godfrey Mwesigye blamed the accidents on erratic drivers.

"These accidents are caused by reckless driving and some drivers don't have knowledge about highway driving," Mr Mwesigye said.