Online taxi drivers in Nairobi are slapping commuters with illegal extra charges. Commuters are lamenting that after ordering for a digital taxi such as Uber or Bolt at a specified price, they are finding extra charges listed inside the taxi.
“We as Nairobi Online Drivers, we’d love to notify the public that due to high economic standards, we’ll not be able to operate under the rates of Uber, Faras and Bolt,” a notice that was captured in one online taxi states.
“Although you’ll still be able to find us through those platforms but we’ll have to negotiate the charges. Our new estimated prices shall be determined by multiplying X1.5Ksh on top of the original prices of the apps.”
The drivers state that for every trip that Uber, Bolt or Faras charges Sh. 500 to Sh. 1,000, the drivers shall add an extra Sh. 200. For a trip of between Sh. 1,000 and Sh. 1,500, the drivers shall add an extra Sh. 400.
When customers confront drivers over these illegal charges, the drivers are claiming that the new extra fares are to enable them operate their taxis profitably.
Shockingly, some driver have gone so rogue that they are reportedly locking customers who refuse to pay the extra charges in their vehicles.
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Ironically, when asked to leave the apps and operate as normal taxis in order to charge as they wish, the drivers have expressly refused, owing to the wider customer reach that the online apps provide.
The management of Uber has termed the extra charges the Nairobi online drivers are asking for as illegal. “Requesting additional payment over and above what is displayed on our app goes against our Community Guidelines and we encourage riders to report such instances in the app for further investigation,” Uber East Africa chief Imran Manji told a local media house.
