Showfa Ride, an online cab-hailing service has officially launched in Kenya. To entice drivers, it has set a unique daily subscription charge of Kenya Shillings, Three Hundred (300/-) for vehicles and Kenya Shillings Fifty (50/-) for motorbikes in place of the per-trip-commission charged by other Transport Network Companies. This means that drivers will retain all the money earned per day less the daily 300/- subscription. Drivers can also opt to subscribe weekly or monthly.
The launch was officiated by Trade CS Moses Kuria who ultimately became the first rider on the app after the launch. On his Twitter page, he stated, “I applaud Showfa for this initiative & i’m (sic) impressed by the savings culture they have initiated as part of their benefits plan because it will ensure the cab drivers get a monthly salary at the end of the month. In the spirit of supporting this cab service, I took a ride from the launch site to my next meeting.”
During the launch, Dhruv Rajah, the Business Development Director of Showfa, mentioned that the company undertook market research and discovered that drivers were paying excessive commissions to foreign companies. Further, he added that the platform aimed at prioritizing the satisfaction of both the drivers and the riders and offering superior services to customers.
Showfa’s Mission
Showfa Ride describes itself as Transport Network Company that is keen on reimagining urban mobility with a driver-first approach to cab hailing. by providing an unparalleled, innovative suite of services- the first of its kind to bring solutions that have been plaguing the taxi industry for years. The name Showfa seems to be a corruption of the word Chauffeur which can be a noun meaning a person employed to drive a private or hired car. It can also be a verb meaning drive (a car or a passenger in a car), typically as part of one’s job.
Shofwa comes into the Kenyan market just a few months after the entry of YEGO, a Rwandese Taxi App YEGO has launched operations in Kenya. It also comes in the backdrop of the operationalization of the Transport Network Companies Rules, 2022, introduced by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) which among other things sought to cap the commission charged to drivers at a maximum of 18% per trip.
Interestingly, Showfa announced plans to launch ambulance services where customers can order emergency services through the app which will be a first in the country. Showfa Ride App is available on Play Store and Apple store. Have you downloaded the app? Have you had a ride in a Showfa Cab? Tell us about your experience in the comments section below.
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