Airtel launches innovative road safety initiative

• Frotcom East Africa and Airtel Kenya launch a vehicle tracking system to reduce cases of over speeding and increase road safety 

• Kenya’s leading transport SACCO 2NK, adopts the new Fleet Management System in a bid to control its 550 vehicles 

• Passengers can now pay fares using Airtel Money.

From (l) Lucille Aveva of Airtel, James Kahiro - Chairman 2NK matatu sacco ,Mr Benson Kibue -Traffic commandant, Francis Meja - Director, Motor Vehicle Registrar and Valerio Marques CEO of Frotcom the technology partner for the tracking solution flag off the newly fitted with Matatu vehicles.

Airtel Kenya has announced a road safety initiative in partnership with Frotcom East Africa in a bid to encourage safe driving of public service vehicles in order to reduce road accidents on Kenyan roads.

The initiative has been launched jointly with 2NK SACCO, one of Kenya’s leading transport SACCO and will target 550 public service vehicles plying the Nyeri – Nairobi route. The new system which is being fitted by Frotcom East Africa Ltd and Airtel Kenya will allow the management to track all vehicles within the country.

 Explaining why Airtel took up this initiative, Airtel 's Lucille Aveva said, as a company believed that business was not an end in itself but rather a means to helping the society achieve more, and that Airtel has a special role in helping Kenyans accomplish more in their daily lives. He added that, “This initiative will help to reduce road accidents on Kenyan roads whose significant direct cost in lives lost, social and economic implications cannot be ignored. We are pleased and that this new product and partnership will contribute to the much needed preservation of lives by reducing the speeds and improving the safety of passengers in the vehicles, thereby reducing the risk of road accidents that threaten the lives of the thousands of Kenyan (wananchi) commuters including children using the roads on a daily basis, not only on public transport but in general.

The new system will also enable geo-tracking of the more than 550 vehicles in the SACCO’s fleet, relaying messages of speed limit violation to the SACCO management. It will also track fuel consumption in their vehicles and give alerts when a vehicle diverts from its intended route which will assist in managing misuse and any possible criminal cases such as incidences of carjacking or vehicle theft. Estimated financial benefits show that the SACCO members could save up to Kshs40 million annually by sealing revenue leakage loopholes with the use of this product. 

This partnership with Airtel will also benefit the SACCO members in many ways including access to data enabled devices (handsets) with Airtel numbers that they can pay for through monthly installments. These devices will enable them to make unlimited calls on Airtel using the closed user group rates within the SACCO group members anywhere in Kenya and access the Internet

easily through the devices on Airtel’s data network. Also included in the partnership is payment of fares through Airtel Money and direct transfer of cash from the Airtel Money pay points in the matatu directly to the owners thereby reducing the risk associated with handling cash.

According to the 2NK SACCO chairman, James Kahiro, the SACCO is embracing the new system to help reduce accidents on Kenyan roads and enable them to manage the vehicles professionally. He added that, “ICT is the way to go in business today and we want to do this to further enforce compliance to traffic rules rather than evasion.” The 2NK chairman has urged other transport SACCO’s in the country to follow suit and acquire similar management systems.

"It would be a mistake to see events like this one Courtesy of Airtel and Frotcom as a celebration ONLY of the top launch. Today is very much about each owner, driver and conductors in the country taking initiative of their labour, attitude and motivation, asking about the way forward. Each of you has the potential and the opportunity again to be a Road Safety project and recipient of future Road safety and peaceful election campaign initiatives." noted Police Traffic Commandant, Benson Kibue

"This is about affirmation and seeking aspiration. It is about the future as much as it is an acknowledgement of the past. But most importantly, it is about the present and the power each of us has from this moment and beyond on Road Safety"

He added "As a stakeholder in the transport sector, we in the National Police Service highly recognize the important role played by the matatu industry in our Country’s transportation sector."

Road safety has in the recent past become an emergent issue that requires great attention from the government, private organizations, transport and all other road users.  This is because of tremendous increase in the motor vehicle population coupled with our expanded road infrastructure.  According to our accident statistics, average of 13,000 accidents are reported annually.  Among this, about 3,000 people are killed, 12,000 are seriously injured while 23,000 are slightly injured.

Most of the accidents are attributed to human error which stands at 85.5%, 10.5% is blamed on defective motor vehicle while the remaining 4% of the accidents blame is apportioned to environmental condition.  While human error is identified as lead cause of accidents, young drivers are more at risk of getting involved in road traffic accidents.  The consequence of this sorry state of affair is loss of valuable lives which in turn has a negative impact to the economy.

This provides the opportunity to draw the public’s attention to the magnitude of the problem, the consequences and the costs. It is also an ideal opportunity to educate the public on measures that should be taken to prevent road accidents. 

"It’s important to note that in the past, road safety has not been adequately embraced by all stake holders due to a false perception that enforcement of road safety regulations was entirely the preserve of the law enforcement agencies.  However, of late there is a notable realization of significant roles played by stakeholders in ensuring safety on the roads'. opined Kibue 

Matatu owners, drivers and conductors are the leading agents in human transportation in the country ought to demonstrated ability to promote road safety through their prompt action on our highways. 

Bharti Airtel has undertaken several initiatives in the social welfare space to ensure inclusive growth and positive impact in society. In the last one year, the company has extended its initiative by providing mobile phones, lines and air time to several Kenya Police units in Coast, Rift Valley and parts of the country to enhance security through timely and efficient communication between the police officers and the police stations and also between the police and the community at large.