Are you a driver? Get into the Uber business

You probably must have heard of the Uber mobile app and have wondered how it works and what income opportunities does it present for Kenyans.

The Uber mobile application simply connects people who need a ride with people who can give the ride. People who can give out rides are the Uber drivers.

To give a ride or to get a ride you need to download and install the app to your phone and sign up.

Further, for Uber drivers, you need to contact the Uber offices to get your vehicle and credentials verified and registered.

The mobile application calculates the fee to be charged based on the distance traveled. Uber keeps a percentage of the fee charged.

A cashless (card only) system failed in Kenya, so now there is option for Uber clients to pay cash.

Uber drivers can sign up to give rides at specific times of the day or week, and have the option to choose the routes that they want to operate on. This means that one can sign up to be giving rides only on his way to work or on his way back home.

While Uber taxi is taking root in Kenya and expanding to more cities, its hold on the Kenyan smart taxi industry has not gone unchallenged. We have local grown companies like Mara Moja and easy- taxi who too are bidding for this market.

Easy taxi a local franchise of a Brazil based company has even expanded to other towns including Nakuru. It has employed vibrant marketing strategies and partnered with companies that complement its services like Total Kenya for fuel discounts.

As the scramble for the Kenyan smart taxi industry takes shape, Kenyans can only watch and wait to enjoy the rides and the business opportunities that come with this.