Coffins on wheels: Boda bodas turn roads into death traps

A boda boda operator carrying five passengers in Nakuru County [Photo: Boniface Thuku]

 

By James Mwangi

The arrival of motorcycles transformed  the transport sector, making boda bodas very popular.

In both rural and urban areas, the motorcycle taxis have jolted the sector and the major victim has been the non-motorised bicycle taxis which are now experiencing rapid phase-out.

Although bicycles pioneered the boda boda business, they machines are now facing slow death in most areas as the motorised ed two-wheeled contraptions become the preferred mode.

However, in Thika town it is a different business between the two related forms of transport.

In this town, the bicycle operators are a common sight and they have devised ways of collaborating in doing business with the motorbike operators.

Unlike in most towns where the two types of operators are perennial rivals, in Thika operators of the two bicycles have partnered in registered groups that promote and control their daily activities.

“We decided that instead of wrangling over customers we better get organised and let the customers decide whether to ride on bicycle or motorcycle,” Moses Ngige, a bicycle operator told The County Weekly.

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Ngige, a member of the Thika Stadium Roundabout group, says their group has 15 members, including motorbike operators. The groups have specific parking locations and have a lot of  respect for each other.

Arthur Njuguna, a motorcyclist and member of this group says the partnership was brought about by fact that most operators graduated from the bicycles business.

“We cannot overlook those with bicycles just because we have advanced. We started there and we have to give a chance those still there to earn and grow,” argues Njuguna.

He operated bicycles for about three years before buying a motorbike and is now planning to get a second one.

The operators are so disciplined that they ferry customers in a systematic pattern; one after the other.

In every parking spot, the bicycles line up and so do the motorbikes and when a customer decides on what to ride on, the one in front of the queue ferries him or her, as the next operator takes up the position and so on.

And when an operator breaks the set rules, the penalty is a brief suspension from the business.

“When a member jumps the order of picking customers or wrongs members of the other groups, he is suspended for two or three days. It gets harsher if the indiscipline continues,” says Francis Muthee, a bicycle rider.

Muthee, who is member of Town Service Group says the system has sanitised their operations and made their services appealing to the people, besides making it possible for every operator to close the day with substantial income.

Around the town and neighbouring in the Makongeni, Blue Post and Mt Kenya University areas, the motorbikes charge between Sh50 and Sh100, whereas the bicycle operators charge between Sh20 and Sh50.

 

Affordability   

According to Stephen Muthukumi of Kiandutu Youth Group, when business is good, the motorbike operators make a net income of close to Sh1, 000 daily and about Sh500 during bad times, whereas the bicycle operators’ daily income is about Sh700 and Sh300 respectively.

Muthukumi’s group, located within the town centre, has about 100 motorbikes but no bicycles as the latter are restrained from operating in the town’s CBD.

A new motorcycle costs about Sh80, 000 and Sh40, 000 for second-hand ones in good condition.

New bicycles go for Sh6, 000 but an old one may go for as low as Sh3, 000. The bicyclists however spends more Sh2, 000 in having suitable seats for passengers.

However there are motorbikes for hire at Sh300 daily and Sh80 for bicycles. New operators wishing to join the groups are charged Sh1,500 or Sh2,000 for the number tags or Sh20 daily for parking points.

Muthee says bicycles are preferred for short distances and affordability whereas customers who are in a hurry prefer motorbikes.