NAIROBI, (Xinhua) — When he wants to go to any place within Nairobi, George Otiato no longer rummages through his mobile phone to get numbers of several taxi drivers to call and ask them if they are free to drive him to his destination.
It is a ritual that he had engaged in for several years, but that is in the past.
All the banker does now is to go to his mobile phone or tablet, launch an app and see where several taxis that he can use are within Nairobi before he presses a button on the software to summon the driver.
“It is the easiest way to get taxi services in Nairobi currently. You do not need to call several drivers trying to find out where they are and if they can pick you. The apps show you who is engaged and who is free,” he said on Monday.
Otiato is among a growing number of Kenyans who are dialling-a- cab through the internet as several companies employ technology to serve their customers better.
Two online firms stand out in the East African nation in offering the service that is gaining currency in a country where taxis are a popular business.
One needs to download and install Uber and Easy Taxi apps on their smart phones to use the services.
“You open the app and see in real-time all taxis that are available in relation to your location before clicking a button to call the one you want,” explained the tech-savvy Otiato.
Payment is done via mobile money, debit or credit cards or one can pay in cash. “You send the money to a given phone number or your card is swiped to pay the bill, and you get an email or SMS confirmation. This technology has made using taxis enjoyable,” he said.
There are over 1,200 vehicles that are currently under the two online companies.
All the drivers registered under Uber or Easy Taxi are vetted thus guaranteeing customers safety while hiring the taxis.
“The apps are making taxi services a rewarding experience in Kenya as some of the vehicles are fitted with free wi-fi giving customers more,” said technologist Moses Kemibaro, a former Inmobi sales director for Africa, noted.
“I use both Uber and Easy Taxi and they are doing a great job in Kenya. I use them interchangeably based on traffic, location, departure or whether I am going to pay with cash or cards,” he said.
He observed that the apps are revolutionising taxi businesses in Kenya as the drivers are better trained in terms of customer service and etiquette.
“Some of these guys behave like chauffeurs than taxi drivers. They would not speak unless spoken to. Vehicle quality has also gone up as the two firms are working with taxi companies which have fleets that are well maintained,” he said.
Bernard Mwaso of Edell IT Solution reckoned that technology is the future of the taxi business in Kenya.
“The apps are transforming the sector and giving people more confidence in using taxis. The fact that you can dial-a-cab online means that you are dealing with the company, and not an individual driver. The driver will thus strive to give better service because he knows he is being monitored,” he said.
-coastweek.com
