If you have used Uber or have interacted with anyone of their partner drivers, you probably know that the company does not accept older cars. Drivers with older cars can never partner with the company. This is all good to the customers as they get newer cars every time they use the app but is bad news for some drivers who are locked out and cannot partner with the company.
Other taxi hailing apps out there tend to be more welcoming and they accept older cars. One such app is Mondo Ride that has been operating in Kenya for a while now and is very unique as it offers both cars and motorcycles (boda bodas).
Going forward, Mondo Ride is making some changes on its rates. According to the Business Daily, the company will charge lower rates to those customers who take older taxis. The standard rate when using Mondo Ride is Ksh 58 for every kilometer, Ksh 5 for every minute and a base fare of Ksh 100. Those who wish to pay lower rates can opt to get older taxis and they end up paying Ksh 48 per kilometer, Ksh 3 for every minute spent on transit and a base fare of Ksh 100.
The kind of service (standard or budget) a certain taxi driver will offer will be decided after thorough inspection of the vehicle.
Joar Lindh, the head of Mondo Ride Africa, said, the new product caters to older cars for clients who are more price oriented and less picky with cars. We do not discriminate cars based on the year of their manufacture as long as they are well maintained. The service a taxi offers while under Mondo Ride is dependent on its current holistic view.”
This move by Mondo Ride will definitely settle well with the drivers but the question is, will you opt for an older taxi just so that you can pay less? Only time will tell how this play put. For me, using their boda bodas is the only reason why I downloaded the app. using this motorcycles saves you a lot of time when in a hurry.
Read More: Uber Finally Expands Its Services to Mombasa
