The public transport network of Kigali is divided into 4 lots, which have been attributed in 2013 to 3 different companies (RFTC, Royal Express and KBS). These companies have been invited to renew and increase their vehicle fleets. As of today, 450 buses (mainly standard buses and “coasters”) are plying in Kigali on a daily basis, moving around 250 000 passengers, without any subsidy from the public authority. Since 2015, a card-based ticketing system has been implemented by the Rwandese company AC Group. This e-wallet has become the one and only ticketing system for the users of the network.
While the first generation contracts were coming to an end, Transitec and its south-african partners (ODA, TESS and GoMetro) supported the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA), the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA), RURA and the City of Kigali in the economic analysis of the network, in order to launch a new call for tenders for the operation of the revamped network. The objective of this second generation of contracts is to increase the ridership through (i) a fixed timetable, (ii) proper traffic management to increase the commercial speed of the buses, (iii) a new fare structure and (iv) an investment of the private operators in the rolling stock.
On October 30th, 2019, the National Regulation Agency (RURA) organized a bidders briefing. The bids shall be submitted by mid-december and the new network shall be officially in place on May 1st, 2020.
For more information:
https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/rura-raises-bar-public-transport-operators
https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/rura-introduces-new-reforms-kigali-public-transport-system