ISLAMABAD, Nov 03 (DNA): Pakistan’s poor transport system causes many
difficulties for students, workers and people who want a hassle-free way
to travel.

SWVL, a bus-hailing service, is planning to change the way we commute by
offering affordable and air-conditioned rides.

The company announced that it has plans to invest $25 million in
Pakistan to fund pre-seed startups. The announcement was made at
021Disrupt, a technology and entrepreneurship conference by The Nest
I/O.

The bus company aims to launch an incubator to kickstart a healthy tech
ecosystem in the country.

General manager Shahzeb Memon revealed that their aim is to create
10,000 jobs in a year through their venture. They also aspire to
mobilise half a million Pakistanis by 2023. The bus service launched in
Lahore in August, and soon expanded to Islamabad and Karachi.

SWVL is similar to the coaches and buses which run in the city, but
instead of a first-come-first-serve system, bookings have to be made
online.

The company currently has a fleet of air-conditioned 13-seater Hiaces
and 21-seater buses. It has hired both full-time and part-time drivers
who are paid on a per-ride basis.

The rates are charged according to the distance, starting from Rs20 for
a 25km ride. There’s no surge pricing, which means that the rates are
fixed and don’t change in rush hours. The payment option is cash, but an
online payment option will be introduced soon too.

It was founded by three young Egyptian entrepreneurs: CEO Mostafa
Kandil, COO Mahmoud Nouh, and CTO Ahmed Sabbah.

“Our target market consists of young individuals who value comfort and
reliability while being financially prudent,” Memon told a private
television channel. “These boys and girls are always on the go and want
a new-age, efficient mode of travel,” he said.

Memon explained that the service is not just targeting previous
ride-hailing users but creating options for a large chunk of the
Pakistani population who could previously not afford to use ride-hailing
services.=DNA