Rwanda sets deadline for cashless moto-taxis

Rwanda has set 1 July 2019 as the deadline for all moto-taxis to have adopted cashless payment as a move to promote smart transport in the country and reduce losses to public transport businesses, an official source disclosed Monday to APA in Kigali.Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) is currently implementing new taxi-moto fares that will be integrated in the new electronic system developed by Yego Innovation Ltd – a local company that was hired to install the new application into all taxi-motos in Kigali city, reports said.

It said that each motobike will be equipped with a taximeter that is embedded with a GPS to enable the regulator and the user to perform different tasks, such as monitoring and paying through platforms like mobile money.

The GPS will also help in tracking motorcycles in case of security incidents, it said.

The project is part of Kigali city strategic vision to adopt the digital payment system using “tap and go” application for commercial transport in the capital city, by July 2019.

It said the innovation will also allow taxi moto operators to charge passengers according to distance covered.

Official estimates indicate that about 15,000 taxi motos are operating in Kigali city, making about 350,000 trips per day.

SOURCE: APA