The first truck stop complex along Kenya’s Northern Corridor has opened at Sultan Hamud on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
The Sh350 million facility named Supastop, is looking to improve road safety and offer secure resting points for long-distance truck drivers and travelers.
According to the developers, Superior Homes, the stop will provide essential services, including a fuel station, parking, accommodation, restrooms, shower facilities, a health center, eateries, and prayer rooms, addressing the needs of truckers and commuters along the busy route.
Sultan Hamud is identified as a major parking spot for long-distance trucks with an estimated 300 trucks parking along the roadside every night.
It is the center of a 145 km stretch between Mtito Andei and Salama but has been lacking decent accommodation facilities for long-distance transit drivers.
Superior Homes Kenya Chief Executive Officer Shiv Arora noted that Supastop represents a significant upgrade in infrastructure and the logistics sector in Kenya, providing a safe, clean, and comfortable environment for long-distance truck drivers and other travellers.
“Our main drive towards putting up this development was to tap into the existing gap in the market by providing a one-stop shop for long-distance truck drivers and travellers. …. Our goal is to not only champion and encourage rest among long-distance truck drivers but also improve their overall experience on the road,” said Arora.
According to the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority, human error accounts for 92 per cent of accidents along the Northern Corridor.
This 145 km stretch between Mtito Andei and Salama has long lacked proper accommodations for transit drivers.
Supastop is the first of 30 planned locations, part of a pilot project in partnership with the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA).
Fatigue among truck drivers has been a key concern, with road safety experts pointing to driver exhaustion as a major factor in accidents on the Northern Corridor. Supastop’s opening aims to provide a solution by promoting rest and addressing the growing demand for safe facilities on the route.
