Motorcyclists to use advanced metering devices to ensure safe transport
By Elias Hakizimana.
At least 10,000 smart phones with ‘MUBAZI’/taxi meters, GPS devices and soft wares worth over $2million will be given to Moto tax Drivers in Kigali by February 2020.
These facilities will be delivered by Pascal Technology Limited under the sponsorship of ALTRON company that has invested $18million as initial funding through a signed MoU with Pascal Technology on this December 2, 2019 in Kigali.
The equipment will first reach to 10,000 moto taxi Drivers in Kigali starting from tomorrow after the MoU signing.
“The $18million is initial capital they give us and we will add more money. Today we work together with RURA, IREMBO where a moto-taxi driver can apply for the license. Passengers can download our passenger safety application to know how it operates, foreigners will be able to travel without exchanging dollars and it is good for security matters. Even tomorrow drivers will start to get these equipment.” Said Pascal Ndizeye, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Pascal Technology limited.
According to Francois ZIRIKANA, Safety and Licensing Compliance Senior Engineer at the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) , the motorcycles’ equipment will help the government to monitor motor taxi drivers whose insurance are not updated.
“Whoever taxi drivers will not respect the guidelines will be stopped. Most of moto taxi drivers do not have insurance, the devices will immediately notify us if his/her insurance is over. We will be able to track where the moto taxi driver is and ask him/her about what is not going well. The technologies will ease safe and secure transport.” Zirikana said.
He said that petrol motorcycles will be converted into electric ones the cost will be cheap.
“2020 is our target together with the government of Rwanda to equip Kigali with electric motorcycles.” He said.
Zirikana added that Kigali city still needs motorcycles as far as the city is being developed.
“In April this year, the government of Rwanda approved a strategy to manage motorcycles and its implementation involves different partners and experts in Technology. Pascal Technology is among them; we have been working with them on speed governor installation. What I can say is that this technology does not target Rwanda Only, it targets Africa.” Zirikana noted.
He said that the technologies will help the government in planning for safe and secure transport system.
Ike Dube, Altron Rest of Africa Managing Director said that their purpose is to deliver innovation that matters by coming up with real African Solutions.
“These technologies have various benefits including safe environment. Another benefit is being an African solving African issues.” He said.
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