Safaricom and Craft Silicon in July 2016 launched a new taxi hailing service in Kenya called Little Cab. The new service launched in a market where there are other incumbents such as Uber, Taxify, Mondo Ride and Maramoja.

Here is more information about it.

1. Availability: It is available as a smartphone app on Android at the moment. It will also apparently be available on Windows, iOS and USSD.

2. Pricing: The service costs are as follows:

Basic option: Ksh50 per kilometre and Ksh4 per minute.
Comfort option: Ksh55 per kilometre and Ksh 4 per minute.
Lady Bug option: Ksh55 per kilometre and Ksh4 per minute.

The minimum fare is Ksh270 and there’s no base fare.

It was announced that the service will have a live fare feature that allows customers to see their bill as the trip is progressing.

3. Payments: Payments will be via cash, MPESA, debit cards, credit cards and bank transfer. Additionally, if you pay in cash and the cabbie doesn’t have change, they will add it as credit to your account under Little Coins.

4. Partners: Little Cab partners need to have a clean PSV car with insurance to join. Little Cab will get 15% of the revenue generated on the platform. At the moment, the partners join the service by going to the Craft Silicon offices and signing up.

5. Drivers: Little Cab drivers need to have a PSV license and Little Cab will run background checks on them.

The drivers have be given a 4G smartphone which will be replaced every 2 years. Also, the drivers app is zero rated by Safaricom and drivers will not need to buy data.

6. Women drivers: Female customers will be able to ride with women drivers using the Lady Bug option on the service. Men will also be able to use Lady Bug but between 8am to 6pm.

7. Others: Little Cab taxis will offer free WiFi to customers.
Customers can choose the radio station they want to listen to.
Customers can buy Safaricom, Orange & Airtel airtime from a little cab driver. (Credit: HapaKenya)