MobiTill

The public transport system in Africa is a mix of commuter railway line, buses and vans popularly known as matatus, taxis, and motorcycles.  The PSV system is often overcrowded, unreliable, and lacks proper planned logistics operating structure causing congestion within the CBD. The last-mile connection is also a major challenge for commuters from various terminals to the desired destination of the commuter. Data Integrated aims to address these issues and provide a better commuting experience for residents and visitors by expanding private sector partnerships to speed up investments and technology use in public transport. 

Data Integrated Ltd is offering Mobility as a Service (MaaS) by providing technology-based solutions for each key stakeholder on one platform to solve some of the toughest challenges facing the public transport sector for bus companies, matatu owners, passengers, regulators and partners. The goal of the pilot project is to enhance efficient use of our limited urban transport infrastructure and help our stakeholders cope with the future public transport demand. It is necessary to introduce a more efficient, convenient and comfortable public transport system

Nairobi lacks integrated public transport, leading to high congestion levels despite only 13 percent of trips being made by cars. With 70 percent of the population dependent on buses, the closest resemblance to public transport in the region are the Matatu buses, operated by private players. Previously known for unreliability, the system is slowly becoming more organized. Traffic congestion costs the city economy US$570,000 (2015) every day. Traffic management is mainly manual, and where traffic signals are operational, they are often overridden by traffic police with varying degrees of efficiency. 

The solution is a mobile application designed for drivers to accept rides and a passenger app to schedule rides with a cashless wallet and card to offer Tap N Go contactless payments. You get one ticket for your entire ride priced in and tap as you go through different check points on the supplier ecosystem.

Platform Capabilities  

1. Ride Hailing- Enables users to know the availability of various modes of transport on their route by adding the current location and their intended destination.  The app will show you available routes and options from train, buses, taxis and boda bodas and allow the commuter to decide whether for example to take a boda from the house to the train terminus, the train station to CBD by railway and use a taxi to the office.

2. Booking- Enables users to determine when they will travel by using a calendar and the station widgets thus enabling cashless PSV operators to see and aggregate demand to add efficiency to their operators and enhance revenue.  This data can also be used to map out new routes to reduce commuter transit time and add train schedules and reduce peak traffic surge pricing.

3. Payments- It offers different forms of cashless and contactless payment which include; MPESA, Airtel Money and Card payments (visa).  

4. Traffic updates- Enables users to view traffic status thus selecting the fastest routes available.  

5. Reports- Users are also able to view the bus fare, trip's invoice and get a receipt after payment

6. Parking payment integrated with PSV fares with the ‘park and ride’ scheme implemented with rail transit in partnership with Kenya Railways. 

We have a team of 55 currently spread across technology, HR, accounts, marketing and sales teams. All residents of Nairobi who use PSVs to work daily.

Most cash leakages are avoidable

• Cash leakages are caused by poor financial controls and corruption 

• Related problems include disorganization, poor record keeping and lack of transparency

• The public transport sector alone loses almost 30% of its revenues through cash leakages

• Mobitill solution enables for efficient collection of cash, transparent transactions and provision of secure payment gateways that maximizes our clients profits and revenue collection.

The cashless public service vehicle pilot project in Nairobi proposed by Data Integrated Ltd will address the challenges faced by commuters in the last-mile connection and enhance urban mobility. The project aims to provide a reliable and safe cashless payment system that will create social impact, reduce money and time spent, and increase demand for ride-hailing services by creating operational synergies and partnerships in the urban mobility ecosystem.

The Data Integrated Ltd's Fleet Management System, Automatic Fare Collection System, Passenger Information System, Route Planning and Optimization system, and Driver Training services are all designed to make public transport more accessible, convenient, and safe for passengers while also improving the revenue collection and management for operators. These products have the potential to revolutionize the public transport sector in Kenya and help create a more sustainable future for the 1.2M PSV operator vehicles in Kenya. From the learnings of the pilot, we can expand the service to more saccos and roll out countrywide.

We count on your input, support and collaboration in the implementation of the proposed pilot in Nairobi and roll out of the solution. 

The Data Integrated Limited technology impacts the bottom line by bringing higher incomes for the owners, formal employment for the workers and efficiency in travel for passengers, By increasing operational efficiency through digitalisation of manual process and operations, Data Integrated Limited creates sustainable business for the operators and visibility of how Nairobi moves by the hour.

• Our electronic payment solution eliminates the need for cash transactions in public service vehicles. The system accepts payments from mobile money, debit/credit cards, and other electronic payment methods. 

• The solution reduces the risk of theft and improves revenue collection

• Increased reliability and safety for commuters.

• Job opportunities for public service vehicle operators and financial inclusion for commuters.

• Reduced time and money spent by commuters on transportation.

• Data Integrated Ltd's Route Planning and Optimization system uses data analytics to optimize public service vehicle routes. The system takes into account factors such as traffic congestion, demand, and vehicle capacity to provide operators with the most efficient routes. This results in reduced travel times and increased passenger satisfaction.

1. Help the government restructure the public transport network, including improvement/development of bus stops/terminals.

2. Work with Kenya Railways to improve connectivity to and from the existing commuter rail network.

3. Leverage GPS data to strengthen mode interchange areas and reduce choke points and support the introduction of new types of bus services and bus priority measures by adopting digital systems.

4. Work with NAMATA to improve public transport systems in suburban towns by providing better route planning reducing congestion within the CBD and key points around the city.

5. Introduction of stage development by working with saccos to meet increased public transport demand through investment and planning. 

6. To provide a cashless public service vehicle system that is reliable and safe for commuters that remits data on movement of people

7. To create scheduled and organized transport timetables across the city linked to the commuter rail and buses giving opportunities for drivers to provide last mile connectivity.

8. To reduce the time and money spent by commuters on transportation.

9. In the absence of integrated public transportation and payment methods, Nairobi has proven to be a greenfield market for all the major ride-hailing and carpooling firms that are piloting quick-trip options. The challenge has lately been the share of revenue and high commissions levied by the apps and thus to increase the demand for ride-hailing services,  Data Integrated will provide a platform that taps into operational synergies and partnerships in the urban mobility ecosystem to allow independent players to offer rides.

10. To increase the profitability of the operators, reduce revenue leakage and boost the income generation for the owners 

11. Give policymakers data on driver behavior from speed limiters and flow of traffic thus improving safety and reducing choke points across the city. 

Target 11.2 aims by 2030 at providing access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons. Target 3.6 aims by 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.

The Data Integrated Ltd's Fleet Management System, Automatic Fare Collection System, Passenger Information System, Route Planning and Optimization system, and Driver Training services are all designed to make public transport more accessible, convenient, and safe for passengers while also improving the revenue collection and management for operators. These products have the potential to revolutionize the public transport sector in Kenya and help create a more sustainable future for the 1.2M PSV operator vehicles in Kenya. From the learnings of the pilot, we can expand the service to more saccos and roll out countrywide.

We are measuring

Rides hailed and completed

Income earned by operators - increase 

Decongestion of the city by mapping location and demand to prevent stagnation and lack of transport on the other part of time

Informing policy makers on how to add train schedules and optimize bus routes. Trips completed.

Introduction:

Data Integrated Ltd is a Kenyan founded public transport digital infrastructure company based in Nairobi Kenya that started operations in 2012. Over the last decade, the company has built multiple solutions aimed at digitalization of public transport for saccos, owners, independent operators, key partners and the government to improve efficiency, enhance safety as well as commuter experience and service delivery for public mobility. 

Challenges:

Nairobi is a bustling city with a population of over 4 million people . The city has a public transport system that is a mix of Nairobi commuter railway line, buses popularly known as matatus, taxis, and motorcycles. The current public transport services in Nairobi are basically delivered by bus and matatu with the route structure of buses from east–west routes passing through the CBD. On the other hand, matatus have radial pattern routes and with origin/destination situated in the CBD.  The PSV system is often overcrowded, unreliable, and lacks proper planned logistics operating structure causing congestion within the CBD. The last-mile connection is also a major challenge for commuters from various terminals to the desired destination of the commuter. Data Integrated aims to address these issues and provide a better commuting experience for residents and visitors by expanding private sector partnerships to speed up investments and technology use in public transport.

The Goal

The goal of the pilot project is to enhance efficient use of our limited urban transport infrastructure and help our stakeholders cope with the future public transport demand. It is necessary to introduce a more efficient, convenient and comfortable public transport system. 

Objectives:

Data Integrated Ltd is proposing a pilot project to provide cashless public service vehicles in Nairobi. The project aims to provide connectivity across Nairobi metropolitan through PSV saccos, commuter rail and ride hailing/carpooling 

Implementation:

Data Integrated has developed a cashless wallet with support from Mobility 54 by Toyota Tshusho which will improve the user experience of paying digitally through contactless payments especially for short distance travel where speed and efficiency is key.  The proposed pilot of the cashless solutions will help us fine tune the product by understanding incentives that motivate various stakeholders from state corporations, Matatu crew, PSV owners and saccos whilst aligning that to regulators to ensure that businesses in public transport thrive and formalize operations through automation and digitization. 

Data Integrated Ltd will work with Kenya Railways to integrate train tickets and their Nairobi commuter buses and work with public service vehicle operators to install cashless payment systems in their fleet. The system will be designed to accept mobile money payments, debit and credit cards, and other forms of electronic payments. We have partnered with Safaricom, Visa and Cooperative Bank to integrate their payment system and issue cards to the commuters. 

The first phase of the pilot project will be implemented in partnership with Kenya Railways and along Route 44, 45 and 17B to Kasarani from the central business district and a team of field agents will be deployed to ensure the smooth running of the system and onboard more commuters and vehicles. Thika road is one of the busiest corridors (447,200 trips/day) because of the rapid urbanization along the corridor. To cope with this demand and with failure to kick off the BRT lanes along Thika Road, improved commuter rail of the Thika line needs to be introduced and last mile connectivity provided and thus we believe the pilot route provides a good test bed for revolutionizing commuter transport in nairobi. 

Our approach

By working with Kenya Railways, select PSV saccos and Basi GO for electric buses, we hope that our cashless PSVs can access BRT lanes for efficiency and time savings.

Data Integrated Ltd will plug into the Nairobi Commuter Railway ticketing system, offer a neutral platform that independent taxi operators can plug and offer ride-hailing services to create end to end operational synergies through partnerships in the urban mobility ecosystem. The partnership will offer one ticketing solution and card that can be utilized across different modes of transport and create a seamless transportation experience for commuters.

Data Integrated Ltd in partnership with Toyota and NTSA will also offer driver training services to public service vehicle operators. The training focuses on defensive driving, customer service, and vehicle maintenance. It aims to improve driver behavior, reduce accidents, and enhance the overall safety of public service transport.

Expected Outcomes:

Data Integrated Limited is a technology-driven company that provides innovative solutions to enhance public service transport in Kenya. The company offers various products that aim to improve the efficiency, safety, and reliability of public service transport.

The Data Integrated Limited technology impacts the bottom line by bringing higher incomes for the owners, formal employment for the workers and efficiency in travel for passengers, By increasing operational efficiency through digitalisation of manual process and operations, Data Integrated Limited creates sustainable business for the operators and visibility of how Nairobi moves by the hour.

• Our electronic payment solution eliminates the need for cash transactions in public service vehicles. The system accepts payments from mobile money, debit/credit cards, and other electronic payment methods. 

• The solution reduces the risk of theft and improves revenue collection

• Increased reliability and safety for commuters.

• Job opportunities for public service vehicle operators and financial inclusion for commuters.

• Reduced time and money spent by commuters on transportation.

• Reduced travel times and increased passenger satisfaction.

Conclusion:

The cashless public service vehicle pilot project in Nairobi proposed by Data Integrated Ltd will address the challenges faced by commuters in the last-mile connection and enhance urban mobility. The project aims to provide a reliable and safe cashless payment system that will create social impact, reduce money and time spent, and increase demand for ride-hailing services by creating operational synergies and partnerships in the urban mobility ecosystem.

M- Epesi Users

ØPassengers

ØCrew(Drivers and conductor)

ØSacco

Passenger

       The passenger has two ways of paying fare, that is via USSD code if they can’t access a smart phone or internet  and through the mepesi passenger app.

Sacco

        The Sacco has to have some basic requirements for the cashless system to be set up. These are; trackers, a paybill number, vehicle numbers & driver details and routes of operation.

Owner

        The owner needs a paybill number, tracker and vehicle registration number to use the cashless system.

We are female founded and led company

We promote pay equity

65% of our staff is female