With the advent of online transportation services a lot of youths have ventured into the “pick me up, drop me” business in order to earn ends meet.
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But due to the previous laws only a few qualified to drive Passenger Service Vehicles (PSV), because the law only guaranteed the Licence to youths at the age of 25 going above.
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However, recently, the Road Traffic amendment Act No.8 of 2022 was revised of which among other provisions, the age at which a taxi driver can obtain a PSV Licence was brought down from 25 years to 20 years.
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And this news elated The Bus and Taxi Driver’s Association Of Zambia.
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This amendment addressed concerns from taxi drivers that 25 years to obtain a PSV driving license is too high and has had the effect of pushing most youths out of employment.
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Pheonix FM reports that Association’s National Secretary Sydney Mbewe said the revision is responding to the needs of the youths and creating employment opportunities in the transport sector to help support young people’s livelihoods.
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Mbewe noted that before the revision of the law, a number of youths below the age of 25 did not qualify to drive PSV registered vehicles, but still continued to do so, hence the revision of the law is responding to that situation.
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He told Phoenix News that the law has also put into consideration the fact that some beneficiaries of this new amendment may lack experience hence caution has been exercised with Licences restricted to only D class vehicles which do not carry a high capacity of passengers, but limited to four.
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This would allow the drivers ample time to gain the necessary experience.
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Moses Makwaya
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