Taxify ventures into bodaboda hailing

Taxify has introduced a new motorbike hailing service in Kenya, making it the first ride sharing firm to venture into the country’s ever growing bodaboda enterprise.

Coined as Taxify Boda, the new motorbike hailing service will draw riders from the existing pool of independent bodaboda operators in the country before taking them through a vigorous verification process that includes background checks before incorporating the riders into the Taxify system.

Speaking during the launch of the bodaboda service, Taxify Kenya Operations Manager Chisom Anoke said the firm developed the service out of the growing need for safe, organized and reliable motorbike services.

“Rising use of motorcycle riders for public passenger transport is a reality that we have to live with particularly in Nairobi where traffic jams and clogged roads delay movement,” Mr Anoke said.

Taxify will work alongside the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Kenya Police Service to enforce safety guidelines amongst riders on the Taxify platform in a move geared towards bringing order and sanity to operations in a country whose motorbike transport sector has long been characterized as chaotic.

Taxify General Manager for East Africa Shivachi Muleji expects the new service to add onto the conventional bodaboda operations rather than taking away from the business.

“We think of ourselves as bringing additional improvements to the service. There are people who are not taking trips right now because they feel bodabodas aren’t safe but now that they see Taxify coming in they will take trips. We hope that over time that riders will see the value proposition and ride with us increasingly more and less offline,” Mr Muleji said.

Taxify will also bring on board Nairobi Women’s Hospital and Rescue by Flare to respond to any arising health related emergencies experienced by riders using the service.

The firm will start off with a set minimum fare of sh50 with base fare set at Sh30 with Sh15 being charged for every kilometre travelled.

Kenya becomes the second market for Taxify motorbike service after Uganda.