Careem Bus has launched in Egypt; Targets Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
40% of the Egyptian population is not being served by a proper transportation service
Careem says its new bus service will help mobility in Cairo and could also change the city for the better.
According to a Careem study, 40% of the Egyptian population is not being served by a proper transportation service that suits their needs. The ride-hailing company believes that Careem Bus, provides Cairo with its first high-quality, reliable bus service available on the city’s main routes andcan help solve the Egyptian capital’s congestion problems.
“Careem Bus represents the middle ground between the existing public transport and ride hailing cars. We believe that a middle-priced service that middle-income residents and commuters can use every day will make a big difference,” said the company in a statement. “The middle segment in Egypt is currently forced to buy cars for their daily commute simply because there are not any other viable options that suit them. And that leads to more congestion and slows everyone down.”
Passengers can choose the bus service via its app. They can then select the pick-up and drop off location. The app shows all the available buses that are close to those two points and it is possible to select a bus with the best time that fits with you. Passengers are then shown the brand of the bus, plate number and captain details. They can also track the bus matching the functionality for car hailing on the Careem app.
“We’ve already made an impact in Egypt with our motorbike service and in some instances, that’s turning what would be a 45 minute trip through congested traffic by car, into a three minute one on a bike that costs half the price,” added the company. “And it also means fewer cars on the street, so the presence of Careem bus will make it easier for you to travel in Cairo even if you’re a driver who doesn’t use the service.”
Careem Bus is using 13-seater vehicles in its fleet although it will be using customer feedback to determine whether this may need to change in future.
“That potentially represents 13 cars that have been taken off the road. It’s 13 parking spaces that have now become free because those people didn’t drive. It’s 13 cars-worth of CO2 pollution that is no longer out there. And that’s just one bus trip. Multiply that my all the trips throughout the day, and all the Careem Busses throughout the city and you can start to see the positive impact this can have. And it’s an issue that is not going to fix itself.
“We’re committed to solving transportation issues, improving mobility and creating jobs – Careem Bus addresses all three of those things and with bus launches in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to follow the effect will be felt in more countries across our region. Careem Bus is our latest launch, but in terms of impact, it could be one of our most significant.”
