diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d6a9e17..4086d59 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -62,8 +62,20 @@ python import_tickets.py --inc-csv 2026-06-15T17-00-00.csv --apply
 ```
 
 Dry-run is the default (omit `--apply`). `import_tickets.py --from-bucket` shells out to
-the `aws` CLI using the `RUSTFS_*` env (no boto3 dependency). Hourly on the instance via
-cron `5 * * * *` (a few minutes after each export).
+the `aws` CLI using the `RUSTFS_*` env (no boto3 dependency).
+
+## Schedule (cron)
+
+On the instance, ingest at **:15 past every hour, 07:00–19:00 EAT** via
+[`run_ingest.sh`](run_ingest.sh) (loads `.env`, runs `--from-bucket --apply`):
+
+```cron
+CRON_TZ=Africa/Nairobi
+15 7-19 * * *  /opt/fleettickets/run_ingest.sh >> /var/log/fleettickets-inc.log 2>&1
+```
+
+`CRON_TZ` matters — the export filenames and this schedule are in `Africa/Nairobi`.
+Skip-if-unchanged means a run on an already-ingested snapshot is a cheap no-op.
 
 ## Notes
 
diff --git a/run_ingest.sh b/run_ingest.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..7ba1683
--- /dev/null
+++ b/run_ingest.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# run_ingest.sh — fleettickets · hourly INC ingest wrapper for cron.
+#
+# Loads env from the local .env (DATABASE_URL + RUSTFS_* + GEOCODER_*) and runs the
+# newest-INC-CSV ingest with --apply (skip-if-unchanged + archive are built in).
+#
+# Install on the instance (ingest at :15, 07:00–19:00 EAT):
+#   15 7-19 * * *  /opt/fleettickets/run_ingest.sh >> /var/log/fleettickets-inc.log 2>&1
+# Ensure the crontab runs in the Africa/Nairobi timezone (CRON_TZ=Africa/Nairobi or
+# the host/container TZ), since the export filenames and the schedule are EAT.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+cd "$(dirname "$0")"
+
+# Load .env if present (KEY=VALUE lines); never commit the real .env.
+if [ -f .env ]; then
+  set -a
+  # shellcheck disable=SC1091
+  . ./.env
+  set +a
+fi
+
+# Prefer the project venv if it exists, else the python on PATH (e.g. in-container).
+PY="python"
+[ -x ".venv/bin/python" ] && PY=".venv/bin/python"
+
+exec "$PY" import_tickets.py --from-bucket --apply