Matatu New Era
Exactly a month ago and we woke up to new matatu rules that will revolutionise this private held sector. Kenya similar to any african government we struggle with lasting implementation. Kudos to new regime with new rules but how far will we burn our oil. Forget the new matatu rules, the smart bus idea is brilliant of all!
Maybe we should call them green buses. We all know about smart bus but nothing about its retirement. Our guess o its missing on our roads would lean towards unsuccessful execution. 
With Nairobi county government showing political divide into this noble idea. A bus that will see most commuters pay only Kshs 35 to and fro their estates. It will bring dream reality sanity in this man-eat-man society. It is not only affordable bus that we campaign for. The use of paperless travel idea; the smart cards and swipe on the go. Its sustainability will not be doomed so long as the management sets a is proper operations framework at an early stage.
An in depth study on similar ideas in developing cities such as Curitiba in Brazil, Delhi in India, Manila in Philippines and not to mention Lagos in Nigeria, reveals how these cities have robust infrastructure to fully sustain this idea. Commonly known as Bus Rapid Transit is what is missing here in Nairobi as illustrated below.
Courtesy of BRT- Report. Source: ITDP & GIZ, 2012
You may argue of Thika Super highway but do we have bus right-of-way roads to reduce delays. This is a key factor to encourage most middle income earners onto the bus and leave their cars at home. Imagine, if 200 buses of sixty-seater capacity that could be nearly 4,000 private cars off Nairobi’s congested roads. Transport related pollution is concern too as heads of state deliberated on Climate Action in Abu Dhabi.
This will contribute to a green city under the sun. Our carbon emissions from transport sector will be capped at 2.8tons or below by 2025. Congestion, traffic delays that cost our economy and reduce human capital productivity hours at work will be history. We need to board the green bus and enjoy green economy of East Africa’s largest city.
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Comments on: "Green Bus for nairobi city" (5)
I agree we need to change our public transport system especially in the city. Its only in the matatu business where the customer is constantly wrong. You will never get quality of the service you pay for. However, my question is, do we have a solid plan on how to execute this noble plan? So many ideas have come along to end this menace but for sure there is no plan to execute and sustain this. This calls for careful planning from the county government on how to manage this new concept!
Yes Mr Kinoti! our county has good planners, my concern is where are the implementers. Hope this time the county is serious on rapid bus idea. We need to reduce time in traffic and grow to a middle income economy. @CitiesSun
may be useful to read this from Europe http://resilientcitiesblog.iclei.org/?p=182
This is very interesting. Thank-you.
you are welcome and keep it for more from Africa and Kenya