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Traditional transportation ticketing systems often face several challenges, including issues with fraud, inefficiency, and lack of transparency. Paper tickets can be easily counterfeited, leading to revenue losses for transportation providers. 

Additionally, the manual handling of tickets can result in errors, delays, and an overall cumbersome experience for passengers. Furthermore, managing ticket inventory and sales data across various channels can be complex and prone to discrepancies.

Founded in 2016 by Sonia Kabra and Wycliffe Omondi, BuuPass addresses these challenges by integrating blockchain technology into its ticketing platform. 

BuuPass’s digital platform streamlines the ticketing process by automating ticket issuance and management. Smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code, facilitate the automatic processing of transactions. This minimizes the need for manual intervention and reduces the chances of errors.

At the heart of Buupass’s approach is a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by African commuters. The company has invested heavily in building a comprehensive database of transportation providers across the continent, covering everything from long-distance bus lines to local minibuses.

By integrating directly with these providers, Buupass is able to offer real-time schedule and pricing information, as well as the ability to book and pay for tickets directly through the app. It has a dedicated mobile application for Android, a USSD code and a web portal where all bookings can be done. Users can also access the service on the M-Pesa app, the biggest mobile money platform in Africa.

The firm offers a platform where travelers can book seats on selected routes. Bus companies can plug into the platform to digitize their booking and payment operations. The startup is working with top bus companies from across Africa.

Using AI, its platform aggregates key data, including location, time, vehicle registration number, and fare price, relevant for travelers to make decisions and for authorities to execute regulatory checks. 

BuuPass takes digital ticketing to the rest of Africa

BuuPass raised $1.3 million in 2023 from Adaverse, 54 Collective, Capital Renewal among others in pre-seed funding to expand its booking service and rope in more bus, train and flight companies. 

“The funding will enable us to invest in growth activities, increasing our market share in East Africa, with a focus on Kenya and Uganda. We will hire a team especially on the growth side, and technology experts so that we can build systems for scale because our plan is to become a pan-African infrastructure for long distance transportation,” said co-CEO, Sonia Kabra.

In February 2024, it received an undisclosed amount of funding from Silicon Valley investor Tim Draper. In total, it has raised $2.9 million. ” Securing investment from Tim Draper is a monumental milestone for BuuPass,” Kabra said. “His belief in our vision and potential is a huge vote of confidence. This partnership brings us closer to our goal of seamless movement of people and goods across Africa, and it’s a significant step towards achieving our dream of becoming a unicorn in the transportation sector.”

In May 2024, BuuPass acquired QuickBus, an AfWith over 16 million travel tickets sold and $100 million in total sales value, BuuPass has established itself as a key player in the African mobility landscape.rican ticketing platform. This acquisition added international routes across 12 African countries, including Tanzania, South Africa, Malawi, Nigeria, and Ghana. This added more than 5,000 new routes to its platform and onboarded over 100 bus operators and key online distribution platforms such as FNB, Vodacom, and MTN.

“BuuPass aims to create a comprehensive, continent-wide network of interconnected transport options for seamless global and continental travel, and this acquisition is a significant milestone toward that goal,” Kabra said.

With over 16 million travel tickets sold and $100 million in total sales value, BuuPass has established itself as a key player in the African mobility landscape.

BuuPass bets big on digital travel insurance

In a move to enhance the travel experience for users, mTek, a leading digital insurance platform, teamed up with BuuPass in August, the innovative transportation app. Through this partnership, mTek is offering travel insurance coverage integrated directly within the BuuPass platform.

This integration has made it easy for customers to select and purchase insurance coverage as part of their ticket booking process, with coverage for accidents and medical emergencies providing comprehensive protection. “It is important for travelers as it provides financial protection and peace of mind incase of unexpected incidents during their journey,” mTek CEO Bente Krogmann said.

““By integrating mTek’s insurance products into our platform, we are taking a significant step towards enhancing the overall travel experience for our users, ensuring they are protected throughout their journey,” Kabra noted.

But Buupass’s impact goes beyond just making travel more convenient. The company is also working to address some of the deeper structural issues that have long plagued the African transportation industry, such as the fragmentation of operators, lack of standardization, and poor safety and reliability.

Through its digital platform, Buupass is able to collect and analyze vast amounts of data on travel patterns, passenger preferences, and transportation provider performance. This information is then used to help optimize routes, improve schedule coordination, and ensure that services are meeting the needs of local communities.

One of the ways Buupass is driving these kinds of systemic changes is through its partnerships with governments and local authorities. The company has already collaborated with several national and municipal transportation agencies across Africa, helping them to digitize their operations and integrate with the Buupass platform.

As Africa continues to grapple with the challenges of rapid urbanization, infrastructure development, and economic growth, the role of innovative transportation solutions like Buupass will only become more crucial.