The number of people learning to drive has gone up significantly these days.
This is because the majority of the country’s population learns to drive when they’re 17 or 18, as opposed to years ago when most people learned to drive in their 30s or 40s.
Also, the increase in car ownership and the numerous job opportunities in the transport sector brought about by online transportation apps like Uber and Bolt has driven up the number of people learning to drive.
When you enroll in a driving school, you’ll be required to choose a driving license category.
One of the most common driving license categories is the Class BCE.
What is a Class BCE Driving License?
Class BCE driving license is designed for those who want to learn how to drive heavy commercial vehicles.
These vehicles weigh between 11,794 to over 14,969 kg.
Examples of heavy commercial vehicles include long buses, haul trucks, concrete transport trucks, and garbage trucks.
How Do You Get A BCE Driving License In Kenya?
To get a BCE driving license, you have to join a driving school that is licensed by the NTSA to offer BCE driving lessons.
Requirements to Join a Driving School
- You must be 18 years and above.
- You must have a national identity card (ID)
- You must have a KRA pin
- You need a provisional driving license, which you can apply for from the NTSA website. You’ll need to pay the required fee for your application to go through. The provisional driving license is valid for 3 months, but you can renew it for another 3 months after paying the required fee.
How Long Does A Complete Class BCE Driving Course Take?
Class BCE driving course takes 4 to 5 weeks depending on the driving school.
The lessons consist of theory and practical lessons.
Theory lessons cover the basics of driving, traffic regulations (such as road markings, signs, and right of way), specific laws and directives designed by NTSA and more.
Practical lessons involve the actual driving of heavy commercial vehicles with the guidance of a driving instructor.
The last part of the driving course is the driving test. This test is conducted by the police department.
If you pass the test, you qualify for a Class BCE driving license, which will be issued after 14 working days.
Note that with a BCE driving license, you can drive medium-weight commercial vehicles, lightweight commercial vehicles and all types of cars.
