Let’s Take a Ride

If you live in Nairobi, you know how stressful it can be to get from one point to another. If you survive being mugged, you might not be so lucky in having public transportation at your disposal to save you. Today, a friend of mine was coming from Machakos (they have not been in Nairobi in like 10 years), and they got lost in the maze of Nairobi and did not know how to navigate and get to their time-sensitive destination. I tried helping the best I could, but it was really difficult; you have no idea. Today I decided to discuss the good news of the ride-sharing phenomenon and shed some light on it from my perspective. Maybe someone else will not miss an interview because of this blog post. Now before I even begin, if you have your own car and the last time you used public transportation was years ago, I am sorry you might not relate—or could you? Prove me wrong in the comments.

First of all, as a country, our transport infrastructure is not as developed as that of 1st world countries, and that presents a number of issues.

One, our common public transportation means, referred to commonly as matatus, operates on a specific schedule. If you need to rush to the hospital in the middle of the night, good luck waiting for a mathree to come pick you up.

Two, the transport system in Kenya is very limited in terms of car options. What comes by, is what you get. Getting vehicle type options to choose from according to your convenience, is a fairytale story.

Three, rules are set as you go. If there are no seats, you are asked to stand while you wait for someone to alight, then you might get a seat. Worse still, a conductor would be screaming, "Beba na chwani!” (The fare is ksh50), but the moment you board the vehicle, a different tout says the fare is ksh80. If you complain, it will go south for you. Imagine a visitor in Nairobi going through all these at once.

I could go on and on with what ails the transportation arena, but I would like to focus on the savior that we never knew we needed, Bolt.

Bolt is an Estonian mobility company located in Tallinn that provides vehicle rental, car-sharing, and food delivery services in over 500 sites in 44 countries, including Kenya. The global ride-hailing company launched in the Kenyan market in 2017 and has continued to serve customers, add more partners, and introduce new business lines. Bolt has a growing staff of over 500 people who oversee its operations, growth, and quality across the region. According to Bolt Regional Director and Interim VP for Rides, Paddy Partridge, this gives over 400,000 drivers in over 70 African cities sustainable livelihoods.

A Customer enjoying Bolt services

What is even more exciting is that Bolt (formerly known as Taxify), has recently opened a regional office on Riverside Drive in Nairobi. Go big or go home.

Now that you have some background, let me show you why you need to download the Bolt mobile app.

One, the bolt app allows you to choose you ride anytime of the day from wherever you may be. So, on those days you really need to dash to the chemist or some other emergency comes up, you no longer have to depend on the unreliable public transport.

Two, in terms of car options, Bolt lets riders choose from motorbikes, sedans, minivans, and electric or hybrid cars (labelled green on the app). That makes you actually spoilt for choice and lets you choose your car option according to your budget and convenience.

Three, and this is very dear to me, you get to know the fare before you get into your ride, and it stays the same, as opposed to the tout scenario, where they decide what the fare will be after the journey has already started. What a time to be alive, right?

This ultimately gives you the freedom to choose how you want to travel. Technology does indeed make work easier. I just hope that someone is not out there in a random alley, fresh from the village, wondering how to navigate this street, and yet there is an answer, Bolt.

So, have you downloaded the app?

Ps. This blogpost is not sponsored by Bolt ltd.