By Iminza Keboge
Published July 30, 2016
Uber Taxi service has reduced its fares in Nairobi in an effort to boost demand and enable drivers to earn more.
“We are committed to making Uber the most affordable and safest option to move around Nairobi,” says Nate Anderson, General Manager of Uber in Kenya. “Our experience shows us we can make that happen while making Uber the best way for drivers to earn. This also means riders can ditch their car keys and travel with Uber more often. For some it will make Uber cheaper than owning a car. This means fewer cars on the road, less traffic, and fewer issues trying to find parking.”
Anderson says Uber has also partnered with French fuel provider, Total, to provide discounted fuel to Nairobi driver-partners.
“We believe these changes will help, but while the city adjusts to the new prices, we are putting in place minimum payment guarantees for drivers to ensure they don’t lose out. And if the amount they make on the road isn’t what we expect, we’ll reassess this price change,” Anderson says of Uber whose aim, he explains, is to ensure “people have a safe, reliable, affordable and convenient way to get from A to B.”
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Uber has reduced its per-kilometre fare from Sh60 to Sh35 and minimum and per-minute fare from Sh300 to Sh200 and Sh4 to Sh3, respectively.
The base and service cancellation fee remain unchanged at Sh100 and Sh200, respectively.
“The reason we offer such good value prices,” Anderson explains, “is because our advanced technology means there are fewer minutes wasted for drivers. With Uber, drivers don’t sit idle in a queue waiting for their next passenger. And they don’t travel as far, or as often, with an empty car.”
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Uber was launched in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in January 2015.
