This is a summary of the findings from the survey carried out on Taxi (cab) operators in the larger Nairobi area, Kenya. The survey was carried out on the mSurvey platform. The operators send a text message with the word 'Taxi' to opt in to the survey, and no spamming was done. Essentially, this survey, and any other on the mSurvey platform, is on a strict voluntary respondent basis. There was a very high degree of apprehension and suspicion, partly attributed to the lack of familiarity with the technology. This explains the low sample count relative to the expected sample size.

1. Survey dates: 23rd and 24th of May
Target population: Nairobi
county Taxi operators
Sample size : 130 operators
spread across 6 areas
Response rate: 65/130 (50%).

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Survey areas
Taxi Survey

3. • To establish the income of taxi operators in
Nairobi relative to the money made by the taxi.
• The most used make of car for taxis.
• The biggest challenge faced in the course of
duty.
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Objectives
Taxi Survey

4. • To establish presence of association (Or lack
thereof) between the different variables. E.g. Area
of operation/Levels of
satisfaction, ownership/Levels of satisfaction etc.
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Other Objectives
Taxi Survey

5. Gender of operators Age of operators
32.8
23.4
21.9
15.6
4.7
1.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
25 - 31 39 - 45 18 - 24 32 - 38 45 - 51 52 and
above
Percent
87.5
12.5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Male Female
Percent

6. • 87.5% of taxi operators are male; 12.5% are
female
• 32.8% of taxi operators are 25-31 years old
while 23.4% are 39-45 years old.
• A significant 21.9% are 18-24 years old. Only
1.6% are aged 52 and above.
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Notes:
Taxi Survey

7. Highest level of education
attained. Make of Taxi operated
42.2
39.1
15.6
3.1
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Percent
85.9
12.5
1.6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Toyota Nissan Subaru
Percent

8. • 42.3% of the taxi operators have secondary
school education; 39.1% have either college
diplomas or certificates while 15.6% did
not go past primary school. 3.1% have
degrees.
• Toyota is the most preferred make of car, with
85.9% of the operators using it. 12.5% use a
nissan with 1.6% using other makes e.g Subaru.
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Notes:
Taxi Survey

9. Number of trips made per day
Average income generated by
taxi per day
64.1
29.7
4.7
1.5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
0 - 3,000 3,001 - 6,000 6,001 - 9,000 Above 9,000
Percent
57.8
32.8
4.7 4.7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Below 10 11-15 Above 20 16 - 20
Percent

10. • 57.8% of the operators make below 10 trips
per day; 32.8% make 11-15 trips per day. Only
about 4.7% make more than 16 trips in a
day, mostly covering short distance.
• Subsequently, most taxis (64.1%), make less
than 3000 shillings a day. 29.7% of the taxis
bring in 3001 - 6000 shillings a day, with only
6.2% making above 6000 shillings.
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Notes:
Taxi Survey

11. Biggest challenge Level of satisfaction
53.1
35.9
6.3
4.7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Satisfied Unsatisfied Very satisfied Very
unsatisfied
Percent
37.5
26.5
15.6
14.1
6.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Percent

12. • Insecurity is the biggest challenge for taxi
operators in Nairobi, with 37.5% citing it; 26.5%
said that traffic snurl ups are the biggest
challenge, with 15.6% citing competition.
• 53.1% are satisfied with their job; 35.9% are
unsatisfied with what they do.
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Notes:

13. Average income per day Nature of Ownership
46.9
32.8
20.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Self ownership Lease Employing
company
Percent
Mean 1628.13
Median 1000
Mode 1000
Std. Deviation 1225.324

14. • 46.9% of the operators own the taxis they
operate; 32.8% have leased the cars while the
other 20.63% are employed by companies.
• The average income of the operators earned
by the operators per day is 1628 shillings with
most earning 1000 shillings.
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Notes:
Taxi Survey

15. Distribution of operators’ incomes
N=64
Skewness =2.068
Kurtosis=5.7
Max = 7,000
Min = 400
Range = 6,600

16. • The incomes are highly skewed. Most values
are concentrated on left of the mean i.e. most
operators earn below 1628 shillings a day.
• The distribution of the incomes is also highly
peaked (Based on Kurtosis value). This means
high probability for extreme
values, which is evidenced by some operators
making as low as 400 shillings per day while others
make as much as 7000 shillings per day.
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Notes:
Taxi Survey

17. Association between Operation area and challenges faced

18. • There is a significant relationship between the area
of operation and the biggest challenge
faced.
• Operators along Mombasa road and the Airport
area feel that traffic jams are the biggest challenge.
• Operators along Thika road, Ngong’ road and
Westlands feel that insecurity is the major
challenge.
• The operators in the town Centre (CBD) cited
police/city council harrassment as their biggest
challenge.
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Notes:
Taxi Survey

19. • The level of satisfaction and the
income earned per day are significantly
associated. Operators who make more than 1000
shillings a day said that they were either satisfied or
very satisfied.
• The daily incomeearned by operators is also
associated with the nature of ownership
of the Taxi operated. Operators that own the taxis and
those that have leased tend to accumulated more
income.
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Other significant associations
Taxi Survey

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