Here is Africa’s newest transport problem and how we might solve it.
In early 2016, I urgently needed to travel upcountry for a family emergency. No sooner had the call ended instructing me to report home by dawn than I quickly wondered how I would get there. The bus was the only option but I needed to book it. Nothing could save the day other than physical presence at the bus terminal. Not a phone call and booking apps were alien at the time.
Running through Kampala city was a hurdle but I was at Namayiba bus park in record time. This was after jumping over the Nakivubo trench, running through erratic motorcycles and nearly getting knocked by a rowdy lorry. To my surprise, the best available bus was already sold out. I was sad!
I have told events of that day on so many of media interviews, but what I have never told is how exactly that experience birthed a grand idea that eventually shaped public transport policy, changed the way operators work and even opened the door for technology adoption in Uganda’s public transport. The year was 2015.
You see, public transport is more than just moving people from one point to another. In the 6 months that followed, we identified new unique problems supported by data collected through several data collection methods including but not limited to surveys, interviews, focus groups discussions among others. It was a two man team of myself and my friend, purely powered by passion, ambition and hope.
The problem
The efficiency Problem. Contrary to customer opinion, public transport survives and thrives on many moving parts, making it an uphill task to organize. Single errors or delays at any stage of the chain, for example, fuel increase, can cause a ripple effect of problems down the line. Covid19 lockdowns made this very evident.
There was a time when we thought good roads alone could improve public transport. Though partly correct, it's far from it. Over the last decade, we have seen an increase in tarmac roads, good feeder network and even improved vehicle types and yet we continue to face more challenges like long commute times, congestion, mechanical breakdowns among others. Worse more is the increasing commute times, increasing crime rates like kidnaps, dangerous terrains, and unreliable drivers with terrible intentions for commuters. Parents can no longer trust that their kids will reach school safely and on time. Employers worry whether their staff will keep time or even show up at all. Even the government lacks the right data to shape policy and deliver good governance. The problems are more. Can we hope for a solution?
Solution: Fast Track technology adoption in public transport.
Since 1995 when commercial internet started being sold to consumers, a lot of technological advancements have happened. And transport was no exception. By using smartphones and other technology to collect data, transport companies will be able to organize timetables with more efficiency. Companies like TREEPZ have a robust technology that can power staff commute, school buses, and even public commute.
The TREEPZ solution not only enables check-in and check-out, but also powers live tracking, data aggregation, and enhances customer satisfaction by enabling transport management efficiency.
By adopting technology in public transport, we shall be able to uncover key information such as peak times and flow rates, spot pain points, and even map routes better, allowing everyone, especially transport companies, to plan better.
Cases like fare evasion can be addressed using the TREEPZ enterprise solution. It’s a powerful technology that among others helps bus owners monitor ticketing, track financial data, and verify it against records through simple and implementable tactics and equipment.
Unlike in the western world, technology implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa needs a new set of tactics. Mobile apps, cards, POS gadgets, QR scanners e.t.c. are all tools that need to be modelled wisely to fit the user-friendliness of the African population. I have found that the Treepz enterprise solution amalgamates all these to offer a robust solution for bus owners, school management, and organizations. A simple example is that even passenger manifests can be easily extracted for any security concerns by authorities.
If you are wondering whether there is any one in Africa creating a world where transportation is more predictable, structured, and reliable, Treepz has an answer.
