According to eTurboNews, the Nairobi City County government has announced that it intends to have all licensed taxis move to a fare meter system by December. Taxi meters measure distance covered and the time spent getting from point A to B, and then convert those measurements into a fare.
An annual permit fee of $80 per cab has been suggested, while Kenyan cabs from outside the county will, from December, have to pay an access fee to get into the city. However, plans to implement and administer this development have not yet been made clear.
At present it is common practice to negotiate a fare to either reach a destination in the city or travel to the airport, or even a daily flat rate. A flat rate spares clients from paying for the time spent standing in the city’s horrific traffic. But the introduction of metered taxis is likely to increase the cost of using cabs in the city, and may create a new category of unlicensed taxis offering cheaper services.
Many hotels operate their own limousine and mini–bus services for clients, aimed at providing guests with a safe and insured car.