For many, digital hailing cab drivers are ordinary Kenyans who are there offering the services just because situations forced them or are struggling to make ends meet and with no “significant” academic qualification.

If you are not one of them, you might not know how resourceful and financially independent this category of hard-working Kenyans are.

Apart from a few they take almost all manner of foul attitude that “well-off” clients direct to them because of their profession.

For Boniface Karoki, a digital cab driver, none of this matters. He has positioned himself well in the level of Kenyans who have a well-thought- out lifestyle, generating a significant amount of income on a daily basis from different investments.

He narrates to the Weekendi Business how he hustled into this interesting venture that some Kenyans look down upon.

“I started working as an employed taxi driver back in 2009 after I finished Form Four, then it was not hard to get a job compared to today, and the Kenyan shilling was also very valuable. I worked there for a very short period before I bought my first car which is now placed under the profession,” he states.

The happy driver proceeds to narrate how he never had to really look for a job as a result of his new achievement.

“Before I acquired the car, it was very challenging because every now and then the owner was always coming up with complaints, especially when I recorded low sales. Despite this I dedicated my all to the business because I had a clear path that I wanted to take, giving up was never an option,” he recounts, with confidence.

“So, I saved for a while, and I remember my savings getting a major boost from one event where I had driven a certain guy from abroad, the guy was basically here for some business but one fine evening, he went to a club to have some fun and asked me to look after his stuff. By the time he was done with the fun, he wasn’t in a position to handle his luggage and asked me to look after it, being an honest service provider, I did what he asked.”

“The following morning when he called, he asked me to deliver the luggage, went through it meticulously and found that everything was intact. It was at that point that he handed me Sh300,000 as a token of appreciation, remember that was around 2009,” he explains with enthusiasm.

That was a turning point for him. For most youths during that time and now, if such an opportunity came along, the majority of them would have squandered the money and eventually face legal issues or they would have splurged on parties and entertainment largely.

For him, making a major investment was a priority. It was during the same time that financial literacy proved to be a necessity in his life.

He narrates how this helped shape his financial position, pointing out; “so I kept on saving through the business, depriving myself of the luxury and all the fun that comes with money.”

“For the first car, I did not even stay with it for a whole year, I had to purchase another one, I wanted to experience a real transformation. So, I went to Mombasa and purchased a Toyota Allion, I was the first driver at the station to purchase the car.”

Karoki explains that from the point he appreciated the need of saving which he reveals that it has also borne him other businesses.

“Saving is key, saving is like an addiction, once you have started you will always want to continue saving, even in critical situations withdrawing a potion from the accounts is so dissatisfying. But the main thing is that it also changes your perspective on life and you become more ambitious, always wanting to achieve goals,”

As a result, I have been able to set up a dairy farm in the upcountry, I also lease land for food farming which I again sell, generating more income.

The visionary driver states that during the weekend he makes huge profits making business more convenient as most drivers usually rest during that day and that most outdoor activities take place then.

What has also enabled him to be this successful, is reliability and the quality of service that he offers.

“Most clients treasure reliability, once you have proven that, you can’t go home empty handed. I have been able to build relationships with most clients who now prefer my services most of the time, some even offer monthly payment, complementing my daily earnings.”

So, the question that potential digital hailing cab drivers would be having is “How do I get started?” well Karoki explains.

He says one can start by driving for other people then find your way up, of course through savings then start making investments regardless of the industry.

The only way up is discipline, another thing that one needs to consider is the licensing fee for delivering the services, this is the biggest challenge, but from the savings you can make it happen,” Karoki explains with occasional chuckles.

However, the biggest challenge that he faces in the business is the issue of traffic jams which he says leads to less gains contrary to the perception that the more you stay in traffic the more you earn.

“Traffic jams are a big issue, spending a lot of time on traffic limits the number of rides that you make in a day.”