Picture this, you have just arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from your travel abroad and then now you want to head to upcountry. If you are like most people, you will bundle into a “Nissan Matatu” as they faster to fill with passengers hence a faster dispatch on your way. But is travelling via a van the most ideal way to travel? Not really. That is when you should consider other alternatives. The best alternative to Nissan Matatu travel is to use Modern Coast Bus Company.
The beauty of travelling Modern Coast and other bus company lies in the fact that the company has scheduled times of departure and hence will help passengers to have an idea when the bus leaves and when they can expect to arrive at their destination. This way, the travelers are relieved of the stress of guessing departure and arrival times as it is the case with Nissan Matatu companies.
All Modern Coast buses come with a wall charging unit and free Wifi so that you can charge your gadgets and stay in touch with friends and family while enjoying your journey. It is truly is a modern way of travelling especially in long haul trips across the country or the entire East African region.
To prevent the spread of coronavirus pandemic, Modern Coast suspended trips from Kenya to Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda on March 19, 2020. This came after all countries in the world closed their borders in an attempt to curb the transmission of Covid-19. Up to date, these routes are still suspended and when they open, Modern Coast will definitely let the customers know promptly in order to resume the cross-border travel.
Modern Coast: Company Profile
Modern Coast Bus Company was launched in 1985 by the late Shahid Butt in Mombasa, Kenya. Mr. Butt quickly revolutionized the company to become one of the most admired transport and logistics firm not only in Kenya but the entire East African region.
To help him accelerate growth, Mr. Butt tapped Osman Abdul Aziz as the CEO of the company. While at the company, Mr. Aziz launced Modern Coast Express Limited before falling out with his boss and founder. Mr. Aziz quickly left Modern Coast and started a rival bus company he called Spanish Bus.
It is worth noting that as of September 2020, Spanish Bus has ceased operations as due to bankruptcy. Essentially, Spanish Bus accumulated too much debt in the form of fuel costs amounting to Ksh. 18 million. This led to the seizure of Spanish Bus buses by the Oil Libya company that quickly rebranded Spanish Buses into Kally’s Coach.
What makes Modern Coast a darling for passengers is that one can book tickets online using their website. Upon confirmation of the booking, passengers will receive all the details of their itinerary including departure time, connection points and arrival time. The trip confirmation email will also show the details of the bus the passengers will travel on and the amenities available on board.
Company Split Rumours
Most companies struggle to survive whenever their founders die or are incapacitated. This is particularly true of partnerships and other family-run businesses. The same has been going on at Modern Coast after the passing on of the company’s founder Mr. Shahid Butt. Mr. Butt was a polygamous man with two wives who currently co-owns 50% each of the company’s assets.
But apparently Mr. Butt’s wives do not get along and are planning of going separate ways and hence splitting the company into two. If you have been paying attention, you must have noticed that Modern Coast buses show up on www.modern.co.ke while others are listed at www.moderncoast.africa while a third list of buses are featured on www.moderncoach.co.ke. All these websites feature Modern Coast branded buses.
It is been rumored that Mr. Butt’s second wife Regine Butt is the one planning the secession and is contemplating bringing in the former CEO and owner of rival Spanish Bus Mr. Osman Aziz. While Mr. Aziz brings in a wealth of experience in running an international bus company, his own company (Spanish Bus) actually folded into bankruptcy and was quickly acquired by Oil Libya due to mounting debt brought about by unpaid fuel fees.
While the details of Spanish Bus’ transactions with Oil Libya is not available tot he public, one can guess that Mrs Butt is confident that Mr. Aziz has all it takes to turn around a splinter of the Modern Coast Bus company and make it profitable in the long run.
