In order to strengthen its position in the market and expand its services, the mobility service provider Uber added Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Naivasha to its list of locations. This has led to new job opportunities in these cities.
New safety elements have been added by the ride-hailing service for both its drivers and passengers. The decision was made in response to research the company had undertaken that showed passengers lacked confidence in the platform because they were unaware of the security protections that were offered.
One of the safety features is Ride Check, which activates automatically if a trip is interrupted for a while for unanticipated reasons. This feature prompts Uber to check on the rider and the driver to see if they are both okay; if neither responds, Uber will call them.
“We are committed to East Africa, a key contributor to the growth of our business in Sub-Saharan Africa. We are passionate about helping people travel and discover their city with ease and helping drivers increase earning opportunities,” said Uber Head of East Africa Imran Manji.
He added that the company’s market development into the new areas will also enable the drivers take advantage of the new digital entrepreneurship era, which has exceeded one billion trips in Africa.
Additionally, the company has launched two new services for its users in Nairobi: Chap Chap Share, a go-anywhere rapid service, and Uber XL, the latter of which became live on September 19.
One can share a vehicle with someone traveling the same route and going to the same destination through Chap Chap Share, which mostly caters to commuters.
By offering discounts of up to 30% on trip fares when a rider is partnered with a co-rider, this service attempts to lower costs for both passengers and drivers.
Uber XL, on the other hand, caters to a big number of passengers who want to travel together, whether they are going on a business trip or an airport excursion, and can accommodate up to 6 passengers.
Additionally, Uber has included audio recording for journeys so that a rider can have documentation in the event of a problem during the trip, like harassment.
Since the files are encrypted and can only be viewed by the company in the event that a problem has been reported and the presentation of proof is necessary, neither the driver nor the passenger, nor Uber itself, can hear what is being recorded.
Before being introduced to other Sub-Saharan African nations, it will first be made accessible in Johannesburg, South Africa.
