I've just been to Easy Coach booking dest at Capital Centre to get a ticket for a friend.

They had to call the head office in town to reserve the seat and the call Kisumu to reserve the seat for the return journey. Whole process took almost 30minutes.

Two weeks ago I was at the Coast Bus office opposite ICC on Msa Road. They also radioed the town HQ to reserve the seat before issuing the ticket. At least this was faster.

These two incidents got me thinking: aren't there computer geeks in Kenya to develop a networked system for the bus companies?

Surely,it should be possible for the clerk sitting at Capital Center to access some computer at the HQ and enter the seat reservation live. Once booked,every other booking office can see the reservation by simply accessing the same computer.

this can even be done by sms!

Behind the gardens...Behind the wall...Under the tree (Including: Red...Dark Blue...Yellow)

@Mukiha,
Last year I was involved in selling an online bus booking system. Guess who were the first guys we targeted,EasyCoach and Akamba. You will be surprised that most of these big bus companies have a few rich guys with some 'not so well' educated operations managers. Selling the idea to them was a task even with a live demo. And if you cant convince them,they will not talk to the big man (who has all the money) to listen to your idea.Anyway,Easy Coach did not buy the idea. Akamba did this year. Just use the Safaricom Live menu that Safcom is advertising.Akamba I should think is one of the bus companies listed.

'When I sell liquor,it's called bootlegging; when my patrons serve it on Lake Shore Drive,it's called hospitality'-Al Capone

@mukiha: I have also had that weird experience with Easy Coach. I am sure we have competent geeks in Kenya and I just don't see why Easy Coach and other buses cannot appreciate technology. But U talk of the Wazees and I see the sense. Only too bad you say the youngsters they employ don't help either.

@bird_man:
No bad feelings man but let me hope you are not associated with the Safaricom thing. It is so bogus that I fear seeing Safaricom on it. Tell me if you ever booked. I was desperate for a bus to Mumias and thought I'll get any stuff there. To my dismay,it is all crap.

salaams

@bird_man:

Thnx. Actually I did not mean to hurt anyone. No such intentions. Just that I was dissapointed. I guess coz av used the online service by Mash bus and it has been such an excellent job. So I was expecting the same while going to Mumias but got a rude shock. Safcom needs to be serious. I know they will,once the online stuff starts clicking with many Kenyans.

salaams

@mukiha - thats a very valid argument...I have always wondered why they cannot do such simple stuff. For example,if you are in Eldoret and need to book a ticket to Kampala - you need to wait for the bus to arrive from Nairobi,to know whether space is available. Same with trying to book Scandinavia in Nairobi,for a ticket to Kampala - you have to wait for the bus from Dar before you know if there is room - makes no sense at all. A simple dial up system would help loads if they cannot afford full time connectivity.

The problem with equality is that we desire that it be with those that have more than us rather that those that have less

Sorry to hijack this thread...
But wanted to know,Which is the most reliable yet affordable bus or shuttle from Dar es salaam to Nairobi? Contacts and cost please?
Thanks

Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't..

@ Mukiha,

Spot on. They need to study the business more closely,then provide the solutions.

For e.g. Booking,without paying,won't work.

The thicker the thigh the sweeter the pie.

@faa; show the Wazee how they can make more money by using the new technology and you will see how they will respond.

If you tell them that the system will be 'more convenient for customers' then you will not get very far.

But if you show them that the system will bring an extra Sh20,000 per day,then they will drop everything and listen

That is how the guys at KAPS convinced Sarit wazees to install the automated parking system. They did an actual count of cars going into the parking lot and showed that if they charged only 10 bob,the revenue could pay for all maintenance bills!!!!

Behind the gardens...Behind the wall...Under the tree (Including: Red...Dark Blue...Yellow)

l want to echo Mukiia here,there is no way yu will these wazees to commit more without showing them how much the new system will bring in!

The chief value of money lies in the fact that one lives in a world in which it is overestimated.