Uber is considering rolling out a new service in Kenya that will see users book seats on minibuses plying various routes in the capital Nairobi.
The minibuses, better known locally as matatus, are the main mode of public transport in Nairobi.
Uber’s East Africa General Manager Loic Amado told Reuters that the feature would be made available on the Uber app, once tests in Egypt’s capital Cairo and the Mexican city of Monterrey, prove successful.
“We want to be part of the transportation ecosystem in Nairobi and matatus are a big part of how people move around,” he said on Wednesday.
Once the service is proven in Nairobi, Amado said it could be expanded to neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania.
The news comes just days after a countrywide matatu strike, which left thousands of commuters stranded – either walking long distances to work or even car-pooling.
The strike was called to oppose stringent traffic rules introduced to improve road safety.
The strike was called to oppose stringent traffic rules introduced to improve road safety.
Amado explained that the new Uber product would allow customers to track and trace the minibuses
The company already operates services such as Uber Pool and Uber Express Pool in cities like London and New York, so taxi drivers can carry more passengers heading to the same or nearby destinations.
For the minibus product, Amado said it will apply only to vehicles carrying up to 16 people
