Ocra allows micropayments for public transport using smartphones

Small cash is slowly retreating from our increasingly digitized lives in the world today. In Egypt however, loose change is still the primary source of paying for public transportation due to the low-priced, affordable nature of commuting across the country.

This process is often tedious for passengers as well as drivers, seeing as small cash is not always available at hand in our bustling lives. This is why an emerging startup called Ocra (أجرة) created a micropayment solution that targets all small cash in Egypt.

Founded by Managing Director Khalid Khaleel, Ocra (which means ‘fare’ in Arabic) is a mobile wallet application that streamlines the process of paying for public transport, enabling passengers to pay and drivers to collect their fare in an easy & convenient way for everyone.

The promising startup recently launched on bus line 107 which rotates between Maadi and Shobra in Cairo, meaning users of the app can now pay for their commute using Ocra on that line. Topping up your credit on the app is done through your bank account or through buying one of their scratch cards and scanning the QR code on it with your phone’s camera.

Ocra scratch cards

Run by their partner Al-Englizya for Mass Transport, Line 107 is considered one of the oldest existing bus lines and it’s been serving thousands of commuters every day for more than 10 years. Ocra plans to expand to 50 more lines by the end of summer 2020, aiming to cover all the operations of Al-Englizya and then take their application to the next step: addressing the huge market of “microbuses”.

Ocra also indirectly aims to help public transportation agencies in Egypt to follow the trend and go full digital with their services. They are aiming to digitize all small change in Egypt by 2030.

Download the Ocra app here to enjoy the benefits of Ocra You can also visit their website or follow their Facebook page for any updates.

Article tags:
Ocra, mobile app, startup, public transport, Maadi, Shobra, bus rides, small cash, micropayments, e-payment, FinTech, FinTech Egypt, CBE