Rocket Internet-backed cab hailing service Easy Taxi started its operations in Kenya early April and in four months has 10 full-time employees, over 2500 users and over 600 registered cab drivers.
This Saturday September 6, the mobile taxi hailing application available in 30 countries will officially launch its services to the public at an event that will involve media companies, bloggers, the twitter big-wigs as well as members of the general public from 2:00PM to 6:00PM at Kuona Trust in Kilimani.
The scavenger hunt / amazing race will see 25 teams race head to head across 5 challenge zones around Nairobi with free transport provided by Easy Taxi. The challenges will include boat races, singing competitions, cooking among many other surprises. Competitors will be asked to group themselves in teams of four.
Launched in Brazil is 2011, Easy Taxi has since expanded globally, covering the network of 30 countries and more than 130 cities, growing at the rate of three cities per month. As of November 2013, the company reported it reached the number of 3 million users and with more than 100’000 taxi drivers are affiliated with an Easy Taxi network globally.
In a few months, Uber which recently launched in Nigeria will be launching its services in Nairobi. Easy Taxi would have already made a name for itself and would have doubled up its number of drivers. Though Easy Taxi’s business model differs slightly from Uber, there will be tough competition in the taxi hailing market. With over five taxi hailing services competiting against each other in Nairobi, the one that will succeed will have to be the best at influencing Nairobi’s buddy culture where revellers contact their own trusted taxi drivers whom they pay monthly and who won’t harm them even when they pass out.