New app attempts to give chaotic boda boda sector its Uber moment

Public transport has become more and more disorderly as it expands to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population.

The sector has expanded from buses and taxis to minivans, shuttles and, most prominently, boda bodas.

The relatively low capital required to buy a motorcycle taxi and the high demand for its traffic-defying capabilities has seen the boda boda business expand exponentially.

According to the Motorcycle Assembly Association of Kenya, more than 14 million Kenyans ride boda bodas, with the sector generating Sh400 million a day and directly employing 100,000 people.

Unruly behaviour

However, taking away from the shine of this growth is the fact that boda bodas have become synonymous with reckless riding and unruly behaviour on the roads.

But there is now an application hoping to improve the sub-sector’s image and enhance the security of the Kenyans who rely on boda bodas to get to meetings on time, carry heavy luggage or access places that vehicles cannot.

Bodapp, launched two weeks ago, is hoping to bring together a pool of riders who will abide by a particular set of rules.

The app’s director, Robin Kungu, said 200 boda boda riders have so far signed up.

“We are targeting riders within Nairobi and its environs, and we will eventually move across the country,” he said.

If successful, it promises to do to the boda boda sector what US application Uber did to the taxi industry.

To access Bodapp, both the client and rider must have the app in their phones, which also enables a client to locate the nearest Bodapp rider.

Customers are charged Sh70 per kilometre, which means a five-kilometre journey, such as from Nairobi’s central business district to Sarit Centre in Westlands, will cost Sh350, rather than the Sh500 or more that many riders charge.

Boda boda owners will pay Bodapp 20 per cent of their earnings in commission fees.

To minimise cases of riders picking customers who later try to rob them, registration on Bodapp requires that clients give their full names, identity card numbers and places of birth.

“By carrying clients whose details we have, we can greatly reduce cases of abduction and other crimes,” Mr Kungu said.

The app’s structured pricing is already winning it customers.

“I learned about Bodapp from my neighbour and decided to give it a try. It is cheaper. I pay around Sh300 for a distance that used to cost me more than Sh500,” said Mary Musyoki, a resident of Woodley who works in Westlands.

For her, the app’s appeal is in its providing riders who are professional and its efforts to enhance security.

Riders who register on the app are first trained on how to handle clients, and respect traffic rules and regulations. After this, they get access to a client list that includes those looking for delivery services.

“The Bodapp team has been involved in courier services the last four years, delivering goods to corporate clients, but we are now expanding to tap into the public transport sector,” Kungu said.

Main benefit

Samson Machi, a Bodapp rider, is happy with the app so far.

“The main benefit here is ready jobs. They have linked me to various clients and delivered services to places l had never been to,” he said.

However, when Mr Machi first heard of the solution, he did not have a device that supports it, so he had to buy a smartphone that could accept download the app.

“It was a bit expensive for me, but it has proven to be worthwhile.”

His other challenge was adopting the lower charges when he was used to asking customers for much more. However, the increase in the volume of business, Machi said, has helped make up the difference.

While there are no registration fees, interested riders must be aged 21 and over, have two years of riding experience, own a valid driving licence, present a certificate of good conduct, own a GPS-enabled phone, and have a motorbike that is insured.

The other requirements are that riders must have a personal accident cover and three credible referees.

[email protected]