Nearly two months after the rollout of a new public transport system and the introduction of state-owned Ecofleet Solutions, commuters say the reforms are beginning to deliver results, even as they look forward to further improvements. To assess the impact of the new public transport model, The New Times sampled several routes from the 41 corridors, whose departure schedules were published by Ecofleet on January 9. ALSO READ: How Kigali's dedicated bus lanes will operate Under the new system, most central routes operate at 10-minute intervals during peak hours, while longer and peripheral routes run every 20-30 minutes, particularly outside rush-hour periods. During the morning and evening peaks — between 6a.m. and 9a.m., and 5p.m. and 8p.m. — buses operating on key routes are scheduled to depart every 10 minutes. City of Kigali personnel are stationed at major terminals to ensure compliance. Our reporter travelled on the Downtown–Nyabugogo–Nyacyonga route, where departures are scheduled every 10 minutes in the morning peak and every 30 minutes later in the day. Buses left on time, with city staff enforcing the schedules — a pattern that was also observed on the Gasanze–Kimironko route. ALSO READ: More electric buses to be deployed on Kigali roads under new govt tender The new model embraces the public-private partnersnhip concept, with Ecofleet working closely with private transport companies with the new public entity providing fuel and performance-based payments to bus companies. Several buses are electric, with officials sayng that the whole fleet will go green in due course. Now, many commuters are already saying that the initiative has brought noticeable improvements, not only in punctuality but also in passenger comfort, noting that buses are no longer overcrowded. Seated beside this reporter during the bus ride to Nyacyonga earlier this week was Adolphe Niyomugabo, a resident of Nyacyonga who commutes every day. He said the reforms had made a tangible difference. “Anyone who uses these buses regularly can see the improvement,” Niyomugabo said. “Departure times are largely respected, except in a few cases when delays are caused by circumstances beyond the drivers’ control.” Similar observations were made during a ride from Kimironko to Downtown at around 5p.m. on Tuesday, when buses departed as scheduled without waiting to fill up. ALSO READ: Kigali commuters hail new public transport model A female passenger on the same route said that while the system is still evolving, the current state of thing is encouraging. “It’s not perfect yet, but it’s clearly much better than what we had before,” she said. “At least now buses try to leave on time, and that already makes a big difference.” Ecofleet Solutions chief executive Aubin Rukera said the early feedback reflects steady progress in what is a phased reform programme. “We are encouraged by the response from commuters so far,” Rukera said. “This is a transition period, and while we have made important gains in scheduling, discipline and passenger experience, we know there is more to do. Our focus is continuous improvement, strengthening operations, expanding technology use and working closely with our partners to deliver a more reliable and dignified public transport system.” ALSO READ: Is it possible to unlock Kigali's peak-hour jam? However, some commuters say that there are moments when the system falls short, particularly during peak hours and on routes serving the outskirts of the city. Marcel Nkuranga, a regular commuter, said congestion continues to undermine consistency. “There has been progress,” he said. “But during rush hours buses sometimes take too long to arrive, which can be frustrating when you expect them to arrive on time, especially at bus stops outside the city.” In the mornings, passengers boarding from certain stops also report that buses occasionally pass without stopping once they are full, reducing the intended benefits of fixed schedules. ALSO READ: Inside the next generation of Kigali’s public transport Drivers who spoke to The New Times said most delays are linked to traffic congestion, which disrupts schedules when buses get stuck on busy roads. “The introduction of dedicated bus lanes has helped us keep time,” one RITCO driver said. “But they are still limited, especially on narrow roads with only two lanes. If traffic were better managed, the current fleet would be enough to serve commuters efficiently.” Pressure points remain on routes such as Kimironko–Masizi and Downtown–Kigarama–Karuruma, where long queues are still a reality. Ecofleet officials say they are aware of these challenges, attributing some of the delays to poor road conditions, particularly on unpaved sections that slow operations. “As the saying goes, no child is born knowing how to walk,” Rukera told The New Times on Wednesday. “Improvement is a process. In fact, we even have another meeting tomorrow (Thursday) to review areas that can be further improved.” He noted that regarding the use of technology to monitor and improve operations, Ecofleet Solutions is closely following up to speed up its implementation. “We are holding continuous discussions on how this can be fast-tracked,” Rukera said. “Once the technology is up and running, there will be a 360-degree monitoring system to track whether buses keep time, whether they are overloaded, and to identify other challenges they may encounter.” Officials at the Ministry of Infrastructure have previously maintained that more reforms were in the pipeline to improve public transport. These include the rollout of intelligent transport systems, GPS-based fleet tracking, real-time performance dashboards, and automated inspections aimed at improving transparency and accountability in public transport service delivery.
