The ups and downs faced by women in digital taxi space

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In a world where the gig economy is growing rapidly, women have been carving out a space for themselves even in fields that for many years have been considered to be male-dominated, such as the taxi business.

Despite the challenges they face, women are proving that they have what it takes to be successful in the digital taxi industry, and are inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

Nelly Mutahi has been a taxi driver for close to three years, facing various challenges as a woman, mother and wife in the industry.

Nelly is a middle-aged woman in her 40s, born in Karatina, Nyeri county, but now based in Nairobi.

She’s a mother and a wife.

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Besides being a digital taxi driver, she is a trained hotelier and was in business before she decided to venture into being an Uber driver.

While working in the hotel industry, Nelly would both work on day and night shifts.

That’s when she conceived the idea of trying her hand at the male-dominated taxi business.

“I started a car leasing business before Covid-19 but the company, which was from Ghana, was hit hard by the effects of the pandemic, and I was forced to move to another company,” Nelly says.

“The car leasing business didn’t go well and in 2021, I decided to buy my own car and try out digital taxi business.

She bought it through the bank and so she serviced the loan.

Nelly says even though she has other side jobs, the digital taxi driver business is her full-time job, and she enjoys serving people in this capacity.

On a good day, Nelly makes Sh4,000 profit and close to Sh90,000 every month after all expenses.

“Women should also try this business. If women get into this business and love it, they will make money,” she says.

“One cannot go home with nothing, provided they have the right attitude, and no money is too little for a trip.”

STEREOTYPES AND RISKS

Despite her hard work and dedication to the job, Nelly has to deal with people who don't respect her because they believe it's a man's job.

She says most male digital drivers see them as competitors and even try to downgrade them.

“They say women drivers are arrogant, that is why we are in the business. They don’t accept us at all.”

Philip Maina, a digital taxi driver for about 12 years, says he supports women doing digital taxi business.

He takes it positively because the space for taxi business in the past was reserved for men only, but now women have ventured into the business.

He adds that in the past, women were not allowed to do taxi business due to security issues and cultural norms.

“The risk during those days when we were doing offline was high because we didn’t have identity. Someone would just walk up to you and ask for a ride and you don’t know them,” he says.

“The risk factor during that time was very high. But with the advent of online ride-hailing apps, clients and drivers can see each other's profiles before the ride begins. This has made it easier for women to enter the industry.”

With the onset of technology and online taxi business app, he said, the scope of doing business in taxi today has increased by far and can accommodate more women and people with disability.

Another driver, Samuel Bundi, says he sees nothing wrong with women being in the business.

They are now also plying heavy commercial vehicles, which were previously a preserve for men, he said.

“But I would want to caution women operating at night to be cautious as it is not safe," Bundi said.

"I even have a woman neighbour operating at night and I told her to avoid it because it is risky." 

DEALING WITH CLIENTS

Despite getting support from male Uber drivers, Nelly says some clients also don’t appreciate them and go ahead to show them that digital taxi business is meant for men only.

“Some clients don't treat me with the same level of respect they would give a male driver,” she said.

“Some treat you like you don’t have anything else you can do, and that’s why you are in this business. Some will even behave like they don’t want to pay you.”

She recounts an incident where a male client once told her it is better to work in a night club than work as an Uber driver.

She however said most women clients feel safe when being driven by women Uber drivers, especially at night, though are some are surprised to see her.

“I once drove a woman and she was surprised that there are women Uber drivers,” Nelly said.

“Before I picked her up, she thought it was my husband who had put my picture in the app profile. But she told me she felt very safe.”

Victor Simani, a journalist, says he has had a good experience being driven by a women Uber driver.

Her services were top-notch and she engaged him in conversation to avoid boredom.

“The lady who carried me was a good driver and she was not fumbling. She told me she has been in the business for three years,” he said.

Simani says even though he has never had any issue with either gender of the driver, he would choose to be driven by a female driver.

Nelly said another challenge in the Uber business is the high prices of fuel.

“Sometimes I have to work at night if I do not meet my target during the day,” she adds.

This, she says, is a difficult situation, as working at night can be dangerous due to issues such as carjacking.

She however says the Uber app has a good tracking system that in a way guarantees the safety of the driver and that of the client, unlike other providers.

“I use all apps, but at night, I only use Uber. When I carry a passenger and I make an abrupt stop before getting to the destination, the Uber provider normally reaches out to know why I have stopped and if I am okay because maybe the passenger has decided to carjack me," she said.

"Other app providers should do the same to guarantee the safety of both the driver and the client.”

Additionally, there are strict rules about what passengers are allowed or not allowed to do in the car, such as not smoking or eating.

Despite these rules, Nelly says, “I once had a passenger who was eating fish, choked and almost died in my car.

“I had to rush him to the nearby hospital. And since I didn’t know him, the doctors at the hospital refused to attend to him and I was forced to pretend I knew him so he could be treated.”

Despite the challenges she faces, Nelly finds that there are many positive aspects to her job as a woman taxi driver.

She says one of the best things about it is the opportunity it provides to connect with others.

For example, she says she has the chance to meet clients who may be looking for someone to work for them.

“This can be a great way to help someone who is struggling to find a job, and it's one of the things I love most about my work,” she says.

“It also feels good to chat with customers. Especially if your mood was down, it gives you the morale to continue.”

She has a very supportive system that comprises her husband and children.

“If I get home at 11pm or past midnight, they don’t go to bed until I get home. They wait for me and even open the gate for me.”

SUPPORTIVE POLICIES

Nelly believes the government should implement policies that benefit digital taxi business owners and protect them from exploitation by foreign companies.

Additionally, she says the commission charged by digital taxi operators should be lowered, given that many of them have loans to pay off and the price of fuel has gone up.

“I think there are so many cartels in this business and that is why the commission is too high. Like if I drove you on a trip of Sh300, I will be deducted Sh120, and I have used fuel, maybe there was traffic. You find that the driver is not getting anything,” she said.

“So the government should come up with a policy that compels the digital app providers to lower the commission, for example from 25 per cent to 10 per cent.”

By implementing these changes, the government can help to support the digital taxi industry and ensure it remains a viable and sustainable option for people like her.

Agnes Mwongera, the head of Women in Transport and a driver representative at Transport Workers Union, says it has been a challenge for women in digital taxi business because people view women taxi drivers as desperate, and some even underrate them.

“We have to keep on reminding them that we are not desperate. I have chosen to work there and I know why I am there, and that’s my office,” she said.

Agnes adds that male drivers tend to forget the industry now has women drivers and do not involve them in decision-making.

She says women are often left out of important meetings and decisions, or are given fewer opportunities than their male counterparts.

This is especially true in male-dominated industries, where women have to fight even harder to be heard and recognised.

“But I like the way ladies in these industries are currently fighting for their positions,” Agnes said.

“We have to be part of the decision-making, part of the activities that are going on, and this is a great push.”

She says another challenge faced by women in the digital taxi business is that they are not entitled to maternity leave or offs.

If a woman becomes expectant, she will have to work until the last day, because there would be no income if she didn’t go to work.

Agnes said when she joined the industry back in 2016, there were less than 10 women in the digital taxi business.

“I like the way women have joined the industry. When you check on the zones where the drivers reside, you will note that every zone has a female taxi driver,” she said.

“This shows ladies have embraced the industry, even though we are not many as our male counterparts.”

Agnes said the best thing about being a woman digital taxi driver is that they are trusted by clients.

She adds that client’s feel safe when driven by women, and this has resulted in them being awarded contracts.

“You can find someone giving you a contract to either pick or drop their kids from one place to another,” she said.

“You get a man who would feel safe when a woman driver picks and drops his family. And I like it because having clients who trust in us is a big thing. This encourages us and we are proud of that.”

For women who would want to join the industry, Agnes says one should take her car for a government inspection, and some applications will require someone to go for a private inspection. 

The documents needed are PSV insurance and inspection report.

You upload the documents and the vehicle, and then the app company will verify and onboard the vehicle. 

“As a driver, you will need to through the NTSA processes, where you have to get a certificate of good conduct, get a PSV badge. Then you will have to get verified by the app company,” she said.

Before starting the digital taxi business, Agnes said the app company takes drivers for a small training on how to use the application, then you are onboarded.

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This story was produced by The Star Publications in partnership with WAN IFRA Women In News