So, why would Karanja and his colleagues cling on the traditional way of doing business when customers are shifting to the hailing apps?
"The charges fixed by operators of the hailing apps are so little," he said. "For a 5 km journey, the app charges not more than 3 dollars even when there is traffic, which I believe is so little," he added.
Karanja, for such a journey, charges between 8 dollars and 10 dollars. The low charges by the hailing apps have seen Kenyans, especially the younger ones, shift to them, denying drivers like Karanja business.
The veteran taxi driver says a majority of his customers are aged 40 and above. "I don't remember the last time I ferried a young person in my car but I get calls from older clients to deliver items for them or pick them. They want to deal with people they know and trust," he said.
Taxi-hailing apps charges are calculated on distance, time-spent on the job and there is a base rate per kilometer.
Several recent incidents reported to the police and on social media of unruliness and even crime for drivers under taxi-hailing apps have offered the traditional taxi drivers hope for renewed business.
The incidents involve the drivers demanding more cash claiming what was offered is little, drivers taking orders and switching off the apps making customers incur unnecessary charges and even attempted carjacking.
"Unlike those drivers under apps, for us, most of those who come for our services know us in person. So there is no way we can turn against them and we agree on cost before we start the journey," said Fred Asiko, a taxi driver.
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