BuuPass hits 10 million tickets milestone, hosts networking event with key partners

BuuPass, the Kenyan digital bus ticketing company founded in 2016 has revealed that it has so far sold over 10 million tickets through its platform. 

The company recently hosted a networking event with a number of its partners and took the opportunity to share some of its key milestones.  

The networking event was attended by key industry players including – Neddy Munyasi, Commercial Vertical Lead – Multinational Corporations at SAFARICOM as well a  Nashon Kondiwa, Director ICT and Innovation at National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). 

The company was founded by Wycliffe Omondi and Sonia Kabra and initially operated as Magic Bus Ticketing. Back then, BuuPass was a B2C company, providing a digital ticketing platform for bus companies. According to the founders., most bus companies were still using manual ticketing and many weren’t ready to adopt the company’s technology, forcing them to change their model.

BuuPass then developed a B2B2CC platform, providing bus companies with a bus management system where they are able to control their fleet, sales, and inventory. It then connects them with a marketplace where passengers can book tickets and compare prices of different bus operators via a mobile app, website, and USSD.

Here for the @BuuPass networking breakfast event. #ICT #logistics #kenya #startups pic.twitter.com/TInXoPMS6n

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BuuPass has reported processing nearly 12,000 transactions per day across its booking channels.  The startup also has a fleet of 1,200 vehicles under its management, engaged from 25 bus companies

“Since we started using the online ticketing platform by BuuPass, our business has been very easy, especially on the management side’’ Lazarus Thuo, Director Greenline Safaris who was also present at the event said.

‘’ I just need my phone to monitor operations from any part of the country I’m in. Record keeping is also very easy as it enables one to get manifests easily, track staff, drivers and also income and expenditure,‘’ he adds. 

Speaking at the event, NTSA’s Nashon Kondiwa commended BuuPass noting that the government parastatal is making use of data analytics to monitor driver behaviour in the country. 

‘’For example, if you know where your bus is, who is driving it, and whether they are a good or bad driver, then you will be able to estimate the cost of maintenance for that bus’’ he said.

‘’People who are employing technology combined by data analytics are able to cut costs to an estimate of 30%,’’ Nashon added.

Earlier this year, BuuPass raised $1.3m in pre-seed round to expand its transport solutions across East Africa. The new funding was raised from Founders Factory Africa, FrontEnd Ventures, Adaverse, Gullit, Five35, Renew Capital, Changecom, XA Network, Ajim Capital, Artha Ventures, Daba Finance, Google Black Founders Fund, and several angel investors.

Co-CEO, Sonia Kabra said the company plans to use the funding to invest in growth activities, increasing market share in East Africa, with a focus on Kenya and Uganda. 

‘’We will hire a team, especially on the growth side, and technology experts so that we can build systems for scale because our plan is to become a pan-African infrastructure for long-distance transportation,” she said.

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