Is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament, under the Traffic and Road Safety Act, 1998. The Act provides for the composition of the Board as follows:
- Board Chairman,
- The Inspector General of Police or his representative
- The Chairperson of National Road Safety Council (NRSC)
- The Solicitor General or his representative
- The Director of Transport in the Ministry responsible for Transport or his representative
- Two representatives of the motor industry, and
- Two representatives of the travel industry.
- The Board Secretary
The Board is appointed by the Hon. Minister of Works and Transport. The Board Secretary is a Public officer and other staff as may be necessary for the efficient performance of the functions of the Board.
The Secretariat
This is based in Kampala at Old Port bell Road. The Secretariat coordinates all matters concerning Board activities including Regional Offices.
Regional Offices
These were opened in 2003 and are functional. The purpose is to bring services nearer to the people in line with Government's policy of decentralizing services. These include: Mbale, Fort portal and Mbarara. At each of the stations, there are two officers deployed - Licensing Officer and Inspector of Vehicles. Future plans include opening offices in Arua and Gulu.
Functions of the Transport Licensing Board
- To regulate the use of public transport vehicles, private omnibuses, goods vehicles other than owners' transport and producer sellers' vehicles throughout Uganda in accordance with the provisions of the Traffic and Road Safety Act, (1998) through:
-Granting routes for bus operations.
-Inspection and licensing of Public Service Vehicles, and
-Under the Inland Water Control Act (1939), Inspection and licensing of Inland Water Transport Vessels. - Discharge such other functions as the Minister may from time to time by statutory order, direct.
Specific activities
- Public inquiries - These are conducted to consider applications for omnibus operators (Bus routes). They are conducted at least twice a year.
- Survey of routes - This is carried out to assess requirements of bus services on different routes.
- Monitoring bus services on routes to ensure compliance.
- Settling disputes between bus operators and Inland Water Transport Vessels operators.
- Routine inspection and licensing of Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) and Inland Water Transport Vessels (IWTVs).
- Prepare and update Public Service Motor Vehicle, Private Motor Omnibuses and Marine Vessel registers.
- Routine up-dating of register and data on licensed vehicles and water transport vessels.
- Conduct periodic Inland Water Transport Vessel inspection and licensing at the various landing sites on the lakes and navigable sections of R. Nile.
- Coordinate activities of various transport organisations
- Carry out education and awareness Road and Inland water Transport Safety campaigns in liaison with National Road Safety Council.
Categories of Licenses granted by TLB:
Under Section 70 of the Traffic and Road Safety Act, 1998 the Board grants the following licences:
Public Omnibus Operators licence
This authorises an omnibus to operate on a specified route, during a specified time (timetable)
Temporary Public Omnibus Operators Licence
This authorises an operator to ply on a particular route temporarily for a period not more than three months after which it is reviewed.
Private Motor Omnibus Operators Licence (P.M.O)
This authorises the operator of an omnibus or vehicle having seating capacity of more than seven to carry passengers for a private purpose without charging fees. This usually applies to institutions e.g. schools, private companies or organisations and institutions which have to transport students or employees.
Contract or Temporary Contract Operators Licence
The licence authorises a bus owner to hire out a bus to a group of people to a specified destination for a special purpose. Picking passengers on the route is not allowed.
Country Taxicab Operators Licence
The licence authorises the taxi operator to run public transport services over a fixed route and charge fees.
Town Taxicab Operators Licence
This licence allows an operator carrying paying passengers within a city, municipality or Town.
Rental Vehicle Operators Licence
The Rental licence authorises an operator to use a vehicle for special hire.
Tourist Agent Vehicle Operator's Licence
Authorises taxi/bus operator to carry tourists to any place of interest in Uganda.
Owner's Transport Vehicle Permit (O.T.V)
This permits an owner of a pick-up or lorry to carry a limited number of persons who are employees or agents to and from their places of work e.g. farm or construction site.
Motorcycle (Boda-Boda) licence
This is a special licence that authorises a Motorcycle (boda boda) to carry a passenger for hire or reward.
Strategic interventions
- Operationalization and enforcement of suspended sections 107, 108, 109 and 110 of the Traffic and Road Safety Act, 1998. These sections of the Act were operationalised on 1st December 2008 when the Hon. Minister signed the statutory instrument.
- The Ministry is in the process of procuring private motor vehicle inspection services. This policy will ensure that all vehicles that are imported are road worthy and that all vehicles are maintained to the required standards to ensure road safety.
- Strengthening the capacity of the Police Force for effective enforcement of traffic laws and reduction of traffic safety violations through training, equipment and organisational development.
- The Ministry is also in the process gazetting Driver Training and Testing Regulations to improve driver skills, knowledge and discipline.
- The Board has made interventions in implementing Boda-Boda regulations. A suitable framework is in place because the intervention revolves around a shared vision and responsibility among different stakeholders. This is aimed at achieving the following:
-National Transport Master and the Plan for the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA). This will be a guiding framework for the sector in regard to programmes for investment and institutional framework for its implementation.
-Streamlining Boda Boda operations (Parking areas, registration etc) through sensitisation throughout the country
-Increasing and improving the collection of Government Non Tax Revenue - Sensitisation of all stakeholders on the traffic and road safety regulations is on-going (seminars, workshops, Radio/TV talk shows). It is hoped such public information campaigns will be extensively done since they form part of a broader prevention strategy by modifying behaviour of motorists, road users and the public. This will reduce carnage on the roads.
- Other immediate measures include:
-Submission of drivers bio data and copies of driving permit with an aim of establishing their competencies and monitoring their conduct.
-All public transport buses will be numbered in regard to routing and total fleet per company for easy monitoring.
