BuuPass, a pioneering Kenyan digital bus ticketing company established in 2016, has unveiled a remarkable achievement by selling over 10 million tickets through its cutting-edge platform.
The company recently hosted a networking event that provided a platform for sharing some of its noteworthy accomplishments.
Notable figures from the industry were in attendance at this networking event, including Neddy Munyasi, Commercial Vertical Lead – Multinational Corporations at Safaricom, and Nashon Kondiwa, Director of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and Innovation at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
Originally known as Magic Bus Ticketing, BuuPass was co-founded by Wycliffe Omondi and Sonia Kabra.
Initially operating as a B2C company, BuuPass offered a digital ticketing platform for bus companies. However, encountering resistance from traditional manual ticketing systems within the industry, the company pivoted its approach.
BuuPass innovatively evolved into a B2B2CC platform, offering bus companies a comprehensive bus management system that empowered them to oversee their fleets, sales, and inventory.
This platform seamlessly connected them to a marketplace where passengers could conveniently book tickets, compare prices across various bus operators, and utilize mobile apps, websites, and USSD services.
With an impressive daily processing rate of nearly 12,000 transactions across its diverse booking channels, BuuPass now effectively manages a fleet of 1,200 vehicles sourced from 25 different bus companies.
Lauding the company’s contribution, Lazarus Thuo, Director of Greenline Safaris, remarked, “Since adopting BuuPass’s online ticketing platform, our business operations have become significantly streamlined, especially on the management front. Monitoring and record-keeping have become a breeze, enabling us to efficiently track staff, drivers, income, and expenses from anywhere in the country.”
On his part, Nashon Kondiwa from NTSA praised BuuPass for its utilization of data analytics in monitoring driver behaviour. He emphasized the substantial benefits of such insights, stating, “Employing technology alongside data analytics can lead to cost reductions of up to 30% by accurately estimating maintenance expenses based on driver behaviour and vehicle location.”
In a significant development earlier this year, BuuPass secured $1.3 million in a pre-seed funding round. This capital infusion was contributed by notable backers including Founders Factory Africa, FrontEnd Ventures, Adaverse, Gullit, Five35, Renew Capital, Changecom, XA Network, Ajim Capital, Artha Ventures, Daba Finance, Google Black Founders Fund, and a cadre of angel investors.
Co-CEO of BuuPass, Sonia Kabra shared the company’s strategic plans for the newly acquired funding. “We intend to leverage these funds for expansion and growth activities, solidifying our market presence in East Africa, with a particular focus on Kenya and Uganda. We plan to assemble a team of growth-focused professionals and technology experts to develop scalable systems, positioning us to become a pan-African infrastructure hub for long-distance transportation.”