Get Started
Everything starts in the app
Ma3flow has two Android apps — one for commuters, one for drivers and SACCOs. Accounts, saved routes and payments live there. This website stays open to everyone, with no sign-in, so you can check the map or a route right now.
The apps
One platform, two apps
Each app is built for one job. Pick the one that matches how you use the road.
For riders
Ma3flow Commuter
The commuter app is the live map in your pocket. It follows the matatus running your routes and tells you what to do next.
Live vehicle tracking
Every matatu reporting on your corridor, with position, direction and speed refreshing as it moves.
Arrival estimates
Pick your stage and see how far away the next vehicles are, so you know whether to wait or walk.
Routes and stages
The full Nairobi route directory and the stage each one departs from, searchable by number or destination.
M-Pesa fares
Pay your fare from the app, keep a receipt for every trip, and keep your own fare history for reference.
For drivers and SACCOs
Ma3flow Driver
The driver app is the operations side of the platform. It is where a crew, a SACCO or an owner keeps a vehicle on the map.
Vehicle registration
Register each matatu once with its plate, route and SACCO, and submit the documents required for verification.
Trip broadcasting
Go on duty and share the vehicle's live position with commuters, so riders can see it coming.
Traffic advisories
Corridor delays with suggested alternatives, so a gridlocked road does not become a lost trip.
Crew and SACCO tools
Hand over between drivers, track daily trips and fares, and view the running record of a vehicle.
Step by step
From landing here to your first trip
- 1
Browse first, no account needed
The live map, the route directory and the stage guide on this website are open to everyone. Start there if you only need to check a route or a stage today.
- 2
Install the app for your role
Commuters install the Ma3flow Commuter app. Drivers, crews and SACCOs install Ma3flow Driver. Both are Android apps, distributed on Google Play.
- 3
Create your account inside the app
You sign up in the app with your phone number and a short one-time code. There is no separate website account to remember — your profile, saved routes and trips stay in the app.
- 4
Set up your trip
Commuters save their regular route and home stage. Drivers register their vehicle and route, submit verification details, and go on duty when they start.
Before you start
What you need
Four things, all of which you almost certainly already have.
An Android phone
Both apps run on Android. Keep your phone's operating system and Google Play services up to date for reliable location updates.
An M-Pesa line
Fares in the commuter app are settled with M-Pesa, so the phone needs an active Safaricom line or M-Pesa account.
Mobile data
Live positions and fares need a data connection. Positions use very little data, and the app keeps working on a slow connection.
Location permission
The commuter app uses your location only to centre the map and find your nearest stage. Drivers share position while on duty.
Questions
Getting started, answered
Do I need a Ma3flow account on the website?
No. Ma3flow keeps accounts where you use them — inside the Android apps. The website is for browsing the live map, routes, stages, fares and community content, and needs no sign-in.
How much does Ma3flow cost?
Browsing the website and tracking matatus in the commuter app are free. Fares you pay through the app go to the vehicle you boarded, as they would in cash.
How does a matatu or SACCO join the platform?
An operator installs the Ma3flow Driver app, registers the vehicle with its plate, route and SACCO, and submits the documents required for verification. Verified vehicles then appear on the live map.
Which areas are covered?
Nairobi and the corridors that feed it — Thika Road, Mombasa Road, Waiyaki Way, Ngong Road, Lang'ata Road, Jogoo Road, Kiambu Road and the CBD termini they run into.
Can I use Ma3flow without an Android phone?
Yes, in a limited way. Any browser shows the live map with the routes and stages around you. Saving routes, paying a fare and getting arrival notifications need the commuter app on Android.
Still deciding? Check the map first.
No sign-in, no download. Find your route and watch the vehicles move before you install anything.