Technology firms are rolling out metering systems beginning next year to cashless payment for motorcycle transport.

Two technology firms, Yego Innovision Ltd and Pascal Technology ltd that offer digital payment services to motorcycles recently received investments to boost their cashless payment solutions.

The companies said they have roll out plans that will be implemented next year.

The project to equip taxi motorcycles with digital metering system was announced early last year, with implementation deadline set for June, but companies and taxi operators faced various technical and financial challenges that delayed the plan.

At the time, motorcyclists cited fare structure that was not agreed on by all players and lack of training in the use of devices that allow mobile and card based payments. Rwanda Today established that technology companies also did not have enough resources to deploy their systems to equip meters to all taxi motos operating in the country.

With recent investment, the two tech firms hope to equip commercial motorcycles with metering devices between January and ext year.

Taxis operators, motorcycles co-operatives and the Rwanda Utility Regulation Authority (Rura) are in fresh talks to discuss how cashless system will be implemented next year. In an interview with Rwanda Today, Mahesh Kumar, director of operations at Yego Innovision ltd said the system rollout will start in January.

“We will get a first batch of meters in January and then we will begin the roll out”.

The ride hailing company hopes to equip 20,000 taxis motorcycles with meters by May 2020. According to Mr Kumar, since the beginning of their operations two years ago only 150 motorcycles have been equipped with meters, with active users being between 70 and 90 every day.

The uptake of the system is still low compared with estimated 50,000 motorcycles operating in the country.