Out of 100 modern transport enthusiasts, at least 90% have at one time used the Uber service. With over 2 years of service, it’s by no doubt that Uber is a household name in the industry. After testing Taxify Boda a few months back, we gave Uber a try on their Uber Boda service. Well, we are still waiting Uber Eats to fill our bellies. So lets take some Uber bodas for now.
Safeboda and Dial Jack only have a mono request option to hook up a bike for your next trip. However, Taxify Boda and Uber Boda provide a 2 in 1 request option where you can either choose a Taxi or a Boda for your next trip. We hooked up with a Uber Boda and it’s one of those amazing options that fairly competes with the Orange and Green helmet options.
UberBoda pickup
A waiting map with Bike like icons spread all over welcomed us after a few clicks in the Uber App. The Uber app swiftly calculated the total fare before requesting for a ride. Other hailing services have this option too. However, we took the ride during the free Uber boda promo, and consequently the price was ZERO.
I had to wait for approximately 5 mins as the rider maneuvered through the traffic in order to reach my pickup location. Safeboda has more responsive riders, maybe because they have so many of them around. on the other hand, it takes some patient to finally get a Uber boda. However, it’s not a huge difference and soon the Uber boda will be in vicinity.
On a rather unfortunate note, my first trip on a Uber boda almost never happened after the driver decided to cancel the request even after reaching our agreed pickup point. It was just 100m from my hideout, heart-broken on home ground. Obviously not a good first impression from Uber. However, not all the odds were against me as I managed to get another friendly, down to earth rider after a major heartbreak. With customer care printed all over everything he said and did, he put his experienced hands to work and next thing, we were at my destination. I traveled with my black helmet pounded on for safety.
What we liked
Unlike other Boda hailing apps, Uber Boda has an excellent mapping system. You can even send your ongoing trip to a contact. This is similar to Taxify Boda’s Share ETA feature. From the time we requested the Uber Boda to the time we reached the destination point, you could surely notice a motorbike icon moving in real-time from the pickup station to the drop off point. Furthermore, Hospitality by the rider spiced up a quick conversation on the trip.
How it compares with the competition
Taxify Boda, Dial Jack, and Uber Boda clearly offer the similar services amidst the competition. The reigning king of boda, Safeboda that continues to fly its orange colors set the trend. Borrowing a leaf from the competition, our Uber Boda trip was similar to other service. We got a hairnet and a free black helmet before starting the journey to the drop off point.
Competition wise, Safeboda previously slashed its prices in a bid to absorb some of the competition from its rivals. However, almost every other boda hailing service pasted the same discounts on their service.
