Everything the Platform
Can Do for You
A complete walkthrough of every capability in Matatu Pulse — from live GPS tracking to fleet analytics — and exactly who each feature is built for.
The Four Pillars of Matatu Pulse
Every feature we build serves one of four core functions. Here's how they work in detail.
Live Vehicle Telemetry
GPS trackers installed in partner vehicles stream continuous position data to our servers. The map you see on your phone reflects where each matatu actually is, updated every few seconds — not estimated, not extrapolated from schedule data.
- Real position updates every 5–10 seconds
- Multiple vehicles displayed per route simultaneously
- Works on 2G, 3G, and 4G connections
- Graceful fallback display when signal is lost
Arrival Predictions & Alerts
Our ETA model combines live GPS speed, current congestion levels, and time-of-day historical data to estimate exactly when a vehicle will reach your stage. A push notification fires when the ETA drops below 3 minutes — enough time to walk, not sprint.
- Dynamic ETA modelling, not static schedule data
- Push alerts to Android & iOS
- Configurable per stage and per route
- Accuracy improves over time as trip data accumulates
Dynamic Route Intelligence
Routes aren't static. Congestion patterns change by hour and day, and our platform knows that. Route intelligence compares current conditions against historical trip data to identify the fastest available path to your destination right now.
- Time-of-day congestion modelling
- Live ETA comparison across alternative routes
- Historical reliability scores per route
- Operator-side route deviation detection
Fleet Performance Analytics
For operators and sacco managers, the analytics dashboard turns raw GPS telemetry into actionable intelligence. Track trip cycles, identify idle time, measure route adherence, and spot revenue opportunities hiding in your operational data.
- Daily, weekly, and monthly trip cycle reports
- Idle time detection and location analysis
- Load pattern and demand heatmap overlays
- Driver behaviour scoring and trend monitoring
More Tools Across the Platform
Beyond the four core pillars, Matatu Pulse includes a growing set of tools that add value for riders, operators, and planners.
Know the approximate fare before you board — with route-specific pricing data updated as saccos adjust their rates.
Core map data is cached locally so you can check nearby vehicle positions even when your data connection drops temporarily.
Plan journeys that require transfers. See both legs of your trip on one screen and get notified when your connecting vehicle is approaching.
Developers and enterprise customers can access live and historical telemetry data via our REST and WebSocket APIs.
Operators see where passenger demand concentrates by time of day — enabling smarter staging and dispatch decisions.
Drivers receive in-cab alerts for route deviations, compliance checks, and high-demand stage notifications.
What's Available to Each User Type
Different features are designed for different stakeholders. Here's the full matrix.
| Feature | Commuter | Operator | Sacco / Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live vehicle tracking map | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arrival alerts (push notifications) | ✓ | — | — |
| Route comparison & ETA | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fare estimates | ✓ | — | — |
| Offline map cache | ✓ | — | — |
| Multi-hop trip planning | ✓ | — | — |
| Fleet live map (all vehicles) | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Delay & deviation alerts | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Demand heatmaps | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trip cycle analytics | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Driver behaviour scoring | — | — | ✓ |
| API access | — | — | ✓ |
| Custom integrations | — | — | ✓ |
| White-label deployment | — | — | ✓ |
See Every Feature
In Action
The fastest way to understand what Matatu Pulse can do is to try it. Download the app free, or book a demo with our team for a guided walkthrough of the operator tools.
No account required for the commuter app. Operator demo takes 30 minutes.