Little Cab premiers first e-shuttle in Nairobi

Imagine booking your seat online for a city commuter route bus.

Leaving South B to Westlands in a public service vehicle without going through the CBD and in one bus that is the experience taxi firm Little Cab is piloting following the success of their cabs ventures.

The little shuttle allows riders to book a seat and board at specific times starting 6:45am on week days, with a frequency of every two hours.

The new service is targeted at riders who would otherwise use their personal cars to move around the city.

According to the firm, the shuttles will ply the Kahawa Sukari to Westlands, Bomas to the CBD via Upper Hill, and Kinoo to South B routes before expanding to other parts of the city.

Little CEO Kamal Budhabhatti says they have already partnered with some matatu saccos to onboard there buses to the application.

“At the press of a button, you can book a shuttle that is clean and safe, a shuttle without hassle, exactly how an ideal mass transport should be…,” said Budhabhatti.

Users can book the shuttle through the normal little taxi-hailing app.

Currently, riders are booking the rides at no fee but rates are expected to be 10 to 15 % higher than the normal commuter fare depending on the route.

“This is not like the normal matatu, the amenities are different, safer and better…,” said Budhabhatti.

The shuttle service is modelled along the Bus Rapid Transport System with hopes that it will when fully implemented give commuters more choice

“This really convenient and safe , it helps you plan your day better as it reminds you that you have a ride booked for a particular time…,” said one passenger.

In November, Uber announced plans to launch a similar service within Nairobi once tests on the product in Egypt and Mexico prove successful.