Please do your research first before asking for advice. All those questions you have asked have been answered on this thread previously. Do not want to burst your bubble but hakuna Shark KB... ya 400k unless it is dead or dying. Even KAXs in roadworthy condition are fetching upwards of 800k. Last i checked, 300k is just about enough to get you a 5L engine - that is assuming you are buying a complete unit not overhauling. Your choice of route pia itakuwa noma with an old vehicle. How do you plan to compete?

That is like asking how much are doctors paid. Do you have an idea? I do not. Wachana na hesabu kwa excel and do some homework. Earnings depend on alot.
1. Your route dynamics - On a route like Nairobi - Eldoret, if your vehicle is say under North Rift, there are days you can do two return trips i.e one from their terminus in nairobi and one from eldoret all full capacity. There are days you will not get a slot on either end. So it ends up boiling down to how creative your driver is. There are routes where vehicles work on targets.
2. Your vehicle - You might have a vehicle that takes 1 shilling for every shilling it makes i.e maintenance.
3. Your crew - You could end up with a driver/conductor who are either downright lazy or believe it is their turn to eat. Or you could end up with a crew that have a high affinity for breaking the law.
In short what i am telling is no route gives the same income as another. You need to get on the ground not on the net and understand the dynamics of your chosen route. For example, i have seen very old non roadworthy vans on the Bomas - Karen route make far much more than i make with a new vehicle. In simpler terms, whats the average gross earning per trip, how much does your chosen vehicle consumer per trip, how many trips does a vehicle make on the chosen route per day, how much does your crew earn per day. Income minus expenses should sort you out. Kazi kwako.
Just remember one thing. The SACCO will never manage the vehicle for you, they can only supplement you. That will save you alot of headache.

On a different note, is the "hedge fund" now investing in matatu?

Okay then. I know its a wrong time to ask about matatu prices especially when the dollar has rallied that much against the shilling, but I am just going to ask anyway. What if I wanted to buy a new (box) Hiace, I dont mind about the nitty gritties regarding it such as litres and mileage as long as its 'new' either from dealer or from Japan. Which is the cheapest process to get a new and cheap one and make it fully compliant? What are the total estimated costs? Can I hack it with 1.8 million to the stage where the only thing remaining is joining a sacco?
Option 1:- I saw some dealers selling the vehicles at around 1 million, before duty and one pays the duty themselves.
Option 2:- Buy directly from a dealer
Option 3:- Import the vehicle

I dont have an 8-5 job...and I have lots of free time to monitor the vehicle and do the repairs in case of anything. Assuming I got a new 14 seater box and put it in a reputable sacco such as Nuclear, can I be assured of KSh 100k-150k every month after all expenses? This is assuming that I buy the matatu(brand new) in cash (zero loan).

In December I sat next to a driver in the sacco on my way to Nairobi from Nyahururu, and he told me that the owner pockets around 140k per month after all expenses. I asked about the dry months and he told me that in December, the owner pockets above 150k, while in dry months he pockets around 90k-100k after all expenses. The matatu was a shark...KB something...of course, maybe he was lying and I will have to confirm that from another driver along the same route

Thank you sir. There is a likely information assymetry there between the driver and the owner....same case you cant ask a bank teller to tell you whether to buy Equity shares because they cant see the big picture. Thank you

Trigger pulled!!



2008, Petrol box, automatic. Working through pre-shipment papers (including payment), de-registration, inspection etc...

Thanks.

Make sure it is a good month unit i.e month of first registration should be between jan and the month the unit will arrive... otherwise kra will have you for dinner. Congratulations bro.

of late i have seen JMC mats 25 seater competing with the known players any info about its price and durability