Denis Opudo
Three innovators from Namibia have come out to develop a mobile app referred to as Intercity. The main aim is to revolutionize the public transport sector by bringing drivers closer to passengers. The three are Heinrich Aluvilu (Head of technical services), Tomas Aipanda (Head of business development) and Herobiam Heita (Head of operations). The Namibian public transport sector is yet to get any revolution since the launch of engine driven cars in the country.
According to the trio, Intercity is carpooling mobile app that offers safe and secure site to link different drivers with users who are in need of transportation. The locally designed app caters for both public transporters and courier firms. It assembles both service providers and customers and gives them a chance to trade in logistics, transportations and courier services. The technology will be able to revolutionize the Namibian transportation and logistics sectors. This is if all vehicles in Namibian roads are used to the capacity.
The app makes it faster for the goods or passengers to get to their destination. Furthermore, it reduces the cost of transport, and it also brings safety and reliability to the transportation industry. The main question is why is it that Namibian market space is still yet to receive technological innovations that come with solutions? According to the founders of Intercity, there has always been an urge for Namibians to develop solutions to their problems. This is because foreign innovations in many areas have not been going hand in hand with the needs on the ground. The three have brought together their professional skills to ensure that they come up with an almost perfect product.
Aluvilu and Herobiam are software developers while Aipanda is an engineer. Herobiam said that the story of Intercity began the long time ago when people in 21st century started to demand of life that was of a higher pace especially for the middle class which was hard for the local transport system to support. According to him, long distances between workplaces and villages or homes are the cause of high transportation costs. He added that people are also forced to wait for long hours for the buses to be filled to the capacity without a specific departure time. The worst of it all is traveling while seated in uncomfortable seats.
Herobiam said that Intensity offers passengers many traveling opportunities with flexible travel schedule across Namibia for a low cost. For drivers, the app provides them companionship and less cost of traveling. The trio said that the app is available for download by anyone. Those who sign up as drivers, Intercity allows them to post their traveling schedule that they can get passengers traveling in the same direction as them. Those who signed up as passengers have a chance to filter through posted travel plans to choose their preferred time, car and driver they would like to use. The operators of the app are maintaining a database with accurate information for the user to ensure security and safety of the users. Users are encouraged to cross-check various details with the driver before the journey kicks-off. Launched on 1st June 2018 the app has a rating system that gives the best users a chance to be preferred. The engineers together with relevant bodies are working out ways of processing and authenticating all users. In 4 days after the launch Intercity app has recorded 500 downloads. The app is currently available on Google, but plans are there to roll it onto Web and Apple platforms as soon as possible.
