The taxi business in various parts of the country has been a source of livelihood for thousands of Kenyans. With most drivers using taxi hailing apps platforms like Uber and Bolt to get clients. This is the case with Judy Wanjiru, a Nairobi based taxi driver who during a YouTube interview with Explore TV revealed that she makes Sh7,000 daily and Ksh5,000 on bad days.
Here is her story as told by WoK,
The Taxi Business, Financing and Work Ethics
Judy used to sell new and used cars in Mombasa and would also work as a taxi driver when there were no clients. When she relocated to Nairobi, she had no car and started doing a couple of odd jobs.
This was until someone told her she could get into the business with a partner car. She followed the advice and after seeing how good business was, bought her car after six months. She had been saving and made Ksgh400,000 deposit for the car with a monthly payment plan of Sh32,000.
According to her, this is a good deal as she is always able to meet the monthly payments. She advised aspiring drivers to stay away from credit organizations that offer zero deposit.
She says some give clients cars that are in dilapidated conditions despite appearing good on the surface. Then, after sometime, the car starts developing problems and they do not care. You still continue paying them the monthly fees and you can’t return the car to them.
They make you sign binding deals which without proper interpretation by a lawyer are often to your disadvantage. She shared how a friend was paying Ksh42,000 monthly to such a credit organizations for a while yet everytime, his balance is Ksh500,000. Judy believes it is better to buy a car from a dealership rather than taking such deals.
While a lot of people complain business is bad, she says she can’t complain much. According to her, the problem with most drivers is laziness and for others they give up too soon.
She wakes up at 4am and is done with her work by 7pm. She doesn’t refuse deals on the app, even those that seem to offer too little.
Instead, she talks to her clients explaining when she feels the money is too little and some of them are very understanding.
She advised others to wake up early especially since most international flights arrive in the country early in the morning and vice versa.
By dropping clients early in the morning, one can pick others at the airport and most travel from the airport to far off places making the driver more money. The enterprising woman treats this like an office job and always makes sure to dress and look nice.
Challenges
One of the challenges experienced in the business are clients who refuse to pay after reaching their destination.
Some pretend they are going to bring something in the house only to disappear while others who are drunk also refuse to pay or vomit all over the vehicle.
There are also those who keep acting like they are the co-drivers and correct all her movements. Even when the client is wrong, the app only takes the client’s feedback.
