AC Group Ltd, a Rwandan tech firm providing smart transport solutions, last week unveiled new innovations that are expected to ease transport for passengers traveling to remotest parts of Rwanda.
The new innovations were among the advancements and solutions that AC group showcased at their booth on the sidelines of the Transform Africa Summit.
The firm known for its convenient payment solution, Tap &Go cards, is expanding its services beyond Kigali.
Giving insights into the latest innovations in transport, Buchana said that passengers are going to have a new experience with the launch of a new App which will ease the ticket booking process and improve clients’ convenience.
"Based on our customer feedback and Rwanda’s vision to create a broader cash-light economy, we decided to start the expansion of Tap&Go upcountry. The unveiled new Application will enable intending travelers on public transport system to book their tickets online. After booking online, passengers are sent receipts with a QR code and can board a bus from anywhere they are” explained Buchana. The passengers will also be able to purchase tickets from agents as well as from a web platform.
The ticketing operator who use scanners will require the passengers to produce a receipt bearing the QR code which is scanned as proof of payment.
"The new Tap&Go app will facilitate commuters to top-up their Tap&Go cards, check card balance, get journey statements. The app will also allow commuters to book and pay for their journeys which will also generate a QR code to scan using a phone at the bus entrance”
He went on to say that they expect a positive response from their clients on the launch of the new products.
"Our main goal is to continuously make the commuter’s experience better and we hope through the soon to be launched products, we can make it more convenient and reliable for public bus passengers to use and pay for their bus journeys. The new products will significantly cut down time spent loading cards and making it possible for passengers to pre-book bus journeys ahead of time” he added.
These new innovations will contribute to Rwanda’s push for a cashless economy and also benefit a fast-growing consumer segment that opted for digital alternatives.
"We are currently doing final market studies and testing of the product which will be ready for roll out starting next month. The implementation plan will be in steps to capture market feedback and steady growth” Buchana said.
He added that the group is in partnership with Smart Africa and for the last 3 years, the company has been taking part in the Transform Africa summit which greatly affirms their commitment and role of developing smart transport solutions towards building smart cities.
"We also take Transform Africa summit as a platform to engage and showcase our latest products to our customers and different people from across the African continent, since one of our main business strategies is to expand,” he noted.
AC Group today has about 2 million subscribers on the Tap&Go Smart Payment System and is spreading outside Kigali to also serve upcountry travelers.
Outside Rwanda, more countries are embracing these unique local innovations for convenient transport navigation.
The firm has operations in Cameroon and is set to expand to more African countries.