Uber Tuesday reinforced its commitment to rider and driver safety by highlighting the integration of the company’s industry-leading safety features into its two-wheeled ride-hailing service, Uber Boda.
This initiative underscores Uber Boda’s position as the smart, safe, and reliable choice for urban mobility, bringing peace of mind to commuters.
The service introduces advanced safety measures including GPS tracking, emergency assistance, driver verification, and professional training programs to elevate safety standards in the two-wheel transportation sector.
For years, Uber has been known for transforming how people move around cities, bringing safety, transparency, and reliability to urban transport.
With Uber Boda, the same principles are now being applied to motorcycle mobility, offering commuters a new level of assurance and professionalism in the boda boda space.
Uber Boda leverages the same safety-first approach that has made Uber a trusted mobility platform globally, now adapted specifically for motorcycle transportation to address the unique safety needs of two-wheel urban mobility in Kenya.
“Safety has always been at the core of everything we do at Uber, regardless of whether someone is riding in a car or on a motorcycle,” said Cassie Jaganyi, Head of Communications for Uber, Sub-Saharan Africa.
“We have introduced technology and training standards that set a new benchmark for motorcycle taxi safety in Kenya, ensuring both our drivers and riders can travel with confidence.”
Motorcycle taxis, locally known as boda bodas, are central to Kenya’s economy and mobility landscape. According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Kenya has over 2.5 million registered motorcycles, with 1.8 million actively in use, and tens of thousands operating daily in Nairobi alone.
The sector generates an estimated Sh660 billion annually, contributing 4.4 percent to Kenya’s GDP. Boda bodas also account for a large percentage of last-mile travel and informal employment in the country.
Uber Boda’s introduction of comprehensive safety measures aims to elevate standards across Kenya’s motorcycle taxi industry by demonstrating the value of proper training and verification processes.
The service showcases how technology can enhance safety in traditional transport modes while supporting efforts to improve transport safety and providing dignified, safe employment opportunities for drivers.
Uber Boda’s drivers undergo extensive background checks and receive professional training focused on safe riding practices and customer service.
For added security, every Uber Boda trip is tracked via GPS in real-time from start to finish, providing a digital footprint.
Riders are empowered with the Share My Trip feature, allowing them to easily share their trip details, including their route and estimated time of arrival, with trusted contacts for added peace of mind.
In instances where immediate assistance is needed, an in-app emergency button provides a direct link to emergency services. Complementing these safety measures, transparent pricing with upfront fares eliminates haggling, ensuring clarity and reducing potential disputes for a stress-free experience.
The partnership between Uber and Greenwheels Africa, one of Nairobi’s leading electric mobility solutions, adds a sustainability dimension to the Uber Boda offering.
“At Greenwheels, our focus is on providing clean, efficient, and safe two-wheeled transport solutions. Our partnership with Uber allows us to combine our expertise in electric mobility with their technology and safety standards to offer an experience that is not only safer, but also more sustainable,” said Nabil Anjarwalla, CEO, Greenwheels Africa.
“We ensure that every rider receives hands-on training, regular safety inspections, and support so that they can operate confidently and responsibly on the roads.”
Uber continuously monitors and analyses safety performance through comprehensive incident tracking and analysis, ongoing assessment of safety compliance and service quality, and regular collection and analysis of rider safety experiences.
Data-driven insights enable continuous safety measure improvements, while transparent sharing of safety data with relevant authorities supports regulatory collaboration.