KENYA – Uber, a ride hailing app, has rolled out a new service for riders in Kenya today offering additional comfort features, such as extra legroom and silent rides.
Uber Comfort, as the company is calling it, has already been launched in several markets including South Africa, Ghana and Ivory Coast but today Uber is officially introducing the service in Kenya.
“Uber aims to reimagine how the world moves for the better. With the launch of Uber Comfort in Nairobi, we are providing our most discerning passengers with a modern, spacious and personalizable method of moving around our city, while also introducing more options for drivers to access economic opportunities,” Imran Manji, Head of East Africa, Uber said.
The most notable element of Uber Comfort is that cars are a bit newer. They are also bigger, with minimum legroom requirements of around three feet.
Moreover, when you order Uber Comfort, you can stipulate your ideal temperature through the app in advance and also request some quiet time — which basically means you don’t want to chat with the driver.
Trips on Uber Comfort will be priced slightly above the equivalent UberX trip – generally, they will cost between 15-20% more than UberX according to Uber.
”With the new Uber Comfort, riders will experience some of the newest cars on the Uber platform. These vehicles boast spacious interiors with ample legroom, allowing riders the opportunity to stretch comfortably during their journey,” a statement from the company reads.
The ride-hailing app has also invested in new safety features both for its drivers and riders.The move was prompted by research conducted by the firm, which revealed that riders were not aware of the security features available, thus making them lack confidence in using the platform.
In addition to that, Uber has introduced Audio Recording for trips to allow a rider to have evidence in case there is an issue during the trip, such as harassment.
However unlike in the more developed nations where SUVs and Luxury Cars like the Benz, Teslas and Lexus are running the space, Kenya will not experience that just yet.
Last year, Uber launched an electric motorbike service in Kenya, its first in Africa, as the company seeks to make its global platform emissions free by 2040.
Uber’s new green product in Kenya, dubbed Electric Boda in a nod to the Swahili term for motorbike taxis, will comprise 3,000 bikes within six months, or just under a fifth of its fleet.
Drivers will see a 30-35% drop in their operating costs, and users of the platform will pay 15-20% less than they do for a regular Uber motorbike trip, the company said.
In Kenya, which generates more than 90% of its power from renewable sources and has been positioning itself as a hub to lead Africa’s shift to green transport, Uber previously carried out small pilots for electric bikes with external partners.
The growth of the electric vehicles market in Africa has been slowed by a lack of adequate electric charging infrastructure and associated equipment.
Sensing an opportunity, local firms have been setting up battery-swapping stations in major cities like Nairobi to save drivers time.
Motorbike transport is a big employer in Kenya, absorbing millions of people who are unable to secure formal jobs.
Ride-hailing services have emerged as a disruptive force, challenging traditional taxi operators with their convenient mobile platforms and competitive pricing models.
Increasing urbanization and the rise of the gig economy are fueling demand for on-demand transportation solutions, leading to the proliferation of ride-hailing companies worldwide.
With the ride-hailing market growing, Global Taxi Market size was valued at US$203.16 billion in 2022 and is poised to grow from US$229.89 billion in 2023, to US$618.11 billion by 2031, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 13.16 percent during the forecast period (2024-2031).
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