Bus-booking platform gives power to passengers
Passengers in the country are expressing optimism, as bus-booking platform QuickBus disrupts the local commuter transportation set-up.
Introduced in Kenya in December last year, it seeks at aggregating bookings for all major bus operators by simplifying the confusing transport landscape that holds back mobility in the continent.
QuickBus already serves three major markets in Kenya, Uganda and Angola and has secured partnerships in a further seven major markets across the continent. It’s aiming to cover most of the sub-Saharan Africa region in three years, serving a market of 800 million people.
It seeks to drive a new level of efficiency and quality of service to a rapidly developing market that is demanding better transport.
“When you book a bus, you should know more than the price and the destination; you should also know more about the experience you’re going to have. That’s how it is in other parts of the world and Africa shouldn’t be any different,” says QuickBus founder and CEO Humphrey Wrey.
He adds, “Our platform allows customers to see reviews and select seats based on their preferences because knowing if your 18-hour journey will be uncomfortable or comfortable is valuable information. That was the genesis of the QuickBus idea.”
The platform has introduced a number of customer-focused services found in more established global markets. For instance, a women can now choose to be seated next to another woman on night buses, similar to the protocol used in India to create more security for female travellers.
“Buses are the primary form of transport in much of Africa, so by raising the standard of buses you also make a positive impact on the economy in that region. We’re working very closely with bus operators who are seeing exponential growth in tickets processed through our platform as each market increasingly gets accustomed to the convenience of booking bus tickets online and through the app,” says Wrey.
Having used the app to book for a bus from Nairobi to Mombasa recently, Aggrey Odhiambo was satisfied by the efficiency that comes with QuickBus.
“I believe this is one of the smartest innovations in our local passenger transport system, which sometimes can be so inconveniencing. Now, by just tapping on your phone, the hustle of making trips to booking offices across one end of the town to the other is now history,” he says.
QuickBus has safety and comfort selection features that open up and enhance bus travel for all kinds of passengers. And backed by strong investment, the platform sets itself for accelerated growth in 2020 and beyond.
