From October 5, Uber users in Nairobi will have access to UberSELECT. The product, which has already gone live, will exist alongside UberX.
For those who are a little confused about the new product, it is understandable. We’ll start by pointing out that Uber is an American-based taxi-hailing company that changed the game about people take taxi rides. The company is unquestionably successful and its revolutionary provisions have not been popular in regions that do not want to abandon the ol’ school system. Contrastingly, that success has come with a cost, including a series of legal issues especially in Europe some internal issues that have since been resolved, supposedly.
UberSELECT is basically an alternative for riders who want to exude some form of exclusivity during special occasions. This will be met via pre-selected vehicles that have high rated drivers who are have ascertained that they can offer a great experience for their riders.
“At Uber we are all about rider choice. We believe that our customers should be allowed more choice in the way they travel. This is the inspiration behind the introduction of UberSELECT, which is ideal on special events such as date nights and important business meetings. Across the world, we are constantly innovating to not only improve our technology, but also increase choice to our riders and driver-partners,” said Uber General Manager for East Africa, Loic Amado.
UberSELECT’s base fare will be KES 10. A kilometer will cost KES 43, or an equivalent of KES 4 per min. The minimum fare will be KES 300, and a cancellation fee of KES 200 is applicable.
“As is the case for UberX, the pricing for UberSELECT was determined by our pricing model that has been used across over 600+ cities, taking into account local conditions as well as partner economics, which is a key consideration at Uber,” adds Mr. Amado.
These are developments that have come up since online e-taxi drivers protested about the trade practices of their employers that did not bring appreciable revenue to them. Specifically, drivers complained of excessive promotions that hurt their pockets, and the timing of this announcement may serve as some form of incentive to highly-rated drivers.
