It’s been a big week for public mass transportation companies here in Egypt as they all prepare for big competition.
It’s no secret that traffic has worsened over the years, to the point that the government has planned an entirely new capital in order to help the flow of traffic. Mass transportation continues to need heavy lifting according to opinions of daily commuters, and even ride sharing apps have yet to lessen the demand for affordable but comfortable commutes.
In recent years, multiple “premium” mass public transportation startups have popped up and blossomed. Companies such as Swvl, GoAndBack and Busset have been hard at work to provide commuters with better transportation options.
With the success of Swvl and their newest campaign, Welad El Azina, it looks like there will be even more competition in the industry.
Ride Sharing Apps Join the Party
Ever since selling their stake in Swvl, for around 3 million dollars according to MENABytes, Careem has been pushing forward into the mass transportation business.
Last month, Careem was reported to be preparing testing for their mass transportation debut, Careem Bus.
Read more > Careem to test affordable bus service in 4 Egyptian cities next September
Careem continues their journey in trying to join the mass transportation business with a new acquisition. On Tuesday, the ride sharing app announced their acquisition of Indian mass transportation app Commut.
“The deal according to the statement secures talent and technology of Commut that will be integrated into Careem and help it in its expansion into mass transportation across 100 cities where Careem currently operates.” states MENABytes.
In the last week or so Uber has quietly released, or are testing, their Uber Bus option in select areas.
Since last month, Careem has been quietly talking to Swvl drivers to join them according to some drivers.
Mass Transportation Startups Get Ready
With Uber and Careem’s new plays, the startups that started it all are preparing for the big addition in competition.
Responding to Careem’s bus tests, co-founder and CEO of Swvl Mostafa Kandil spoke to MENABytes stating that he welcomes Careem’s expansion. He also states he is proud of his company’s work, to excite a ride sharing giant to join the growing sector within one year.
Shuttle bus service startup Buseet has also been preparing for the rising number of competitors. Angel investment network Cairo Angels recently announced that Buseet has raised investment from Cairo Angels & 500 Startups, amount undisclosed.
Co-founder and CEO of Buseet, Amr El Sawy, stated that “We’re excited about this round that will help us expand our team and strengthen our tech to offer a high-quality service for everyday commuters. Moving forward our focus is to shift more car owners to save time and effort wasted in driving to ride Buseet, hence improve their daily commute experience while reducing number of cars & traffic.”
Changing Landscape
Egypt’s mass transportation landscape has always been rocky, in need of much improvement and these companies are making it their mission to improve the current transportation methods.
The startups who generated buzz and the first efforts for improving the current mass transportation landscape are clearly getting ready for the battle ahead as international ride sharing companies join the mix.
The government has also been trailing behind, improving as much as they can from the current government backed mass transportation modes.
The country’s mass transportation landscape is changing rapidly, and soon competition will create a more comfortable commute for the average worker.
