With the growing tension in the ride-hailing business, we’ve to say ride-hailing firms are doing all their best to have customers take their side. From expanding to more markets, to affordable prices and discounts, to convenience, and so forth. Recently, moto-taxi hailing firm; safeboda was reported to have expanded its market to Kenya, however there was no official mention/comment from the company.
As of today, Taxify Uganda has launched a new service dubbed Taxify Go, that will allow drivers with smaller, lower fuel consumption vehicles an opportunity to access earnings. It has been rumored multiple times, how these drivers of these ride-hailing firms are largely affected by the cost of fuel which end up resulting into a strike by the drivers.
Taxify Go is Taxify’s economy category with pocket friendly fares. The category consists of smaller 4-seater cars with 1300cc engines that consume less fuel, resulting in lower operational costs to drivers and therefore more affordable fares for riders.
The Operations Manager of Taxify Uganda, Julian Byamugisha, in a statement said, “We’ve recognized that as our customer base expands, and they grow accustomed to using the ride hailing service, people are now moving to a point where they want more options on how they can get around the city. There is also a rising number of drivers who want to use smaller engine capacity vehicles. This category serves the needs of both the drivers and riders.”
The Taxify Go option launches at a 15% off discounted price. The Base Fare will be UGX800, UGX400 per km, UGX70 per minute, and a minimum Fare of UGX3000. The company says its drivers will be compensated by bonuses to ensure their earnings are not affected by the price discount.
“The pricing for this category has been developed carefully so as to appeal to riders desiring a more affordable way to move around as well as driver-partners who would like to gain access to more earnings. Drivers will be able to take more trips with this new category,” Julian said.
Unlike Safeboda, and DailJack who only looked at the moto-taxi industry, Taxify took both options for hailing a taxi or a moto-taxi, with its biggest competitor being Uber who also have both taxi and boda hailing options. Taxify launched its taxi services in October, 2017 in Kampala, and their moto-taxi in February this year while their competitors Uber, launched in June, 2016 then their moto-taxi option in March this year.[related-posts]
