Gadgets have components such as GPS tracking, black box and mileage gauge, and will help in charging passengers and also tracking stolen bikes.
Rwanda is set to introduce meters with the aim of enhancing the security of operators of commuter motorcycles, better known as taxi-moto, but some users-to-be have expressed concerns over the cost of the gadgets.
Recently, World Moto Inc., a leader in advanced and state-of-the-art solutions for motorcycle taxi gadgets, signed a memorandum of understanding with an undisclosed distributor in Rwanda to supply moto-meters.
But with one meter estimated to cost $120, it will take a taxi-moto operator at least 45 days to raise the Rwf90,000 and at the same time pay his bank loan or compulsory Rwf5,000 to Rwf7,000 daily deposit to motorcycle owner.
Despite the fact that some taxi-moto operators are not even aware of the fact that the moto-meter will soon be introduced, motorcycle public transport co-operatives have asked for a negotiation of the price.
“We don’t have any information yet but the price is too high for a moto operator,” said Tharcien Musabyiyaremye, the chairman of Remera Taxi Moto Cooperative.
“We suggest negotiations to bring it down to, say, Rwf50,000, which is affordable if you consider the daily income of our members.”
Rwanda has 90,000 active taxi-motos and they will need Rwf9 billion to invest in the metering. This will mean that they have to work double to maintain the cost of living and operating the business, which is the easiest way to get around city centre.
While taxi-moto transport is here to stay, employing many male school dropouts and jobless youths, operators argue, adding that there are already too many operators chasing the few clients at the time when the Rwandan economy has been projected to hit a major setback in 2016 fiscal year performance.
Sales inquiries
Paul Giles, CEO of World Moto, stated that there has been a continuing increase in sales inquiries from operators around the world as well as requests from distributors looking to service the growing demand.
“It’s important to note that these requests have all been unsolicited,” Mr Giles said in a statement. “And now that the company has sufficient financial resources to launch sales promotion campaigns, we are more confident than ever that the moto-meter market is poised to enter a time of rapid expansion.”
With components such as GPS tracking, black box and mileage gauge, the moto-meter is expected to help motorbike transporters to charge accordingly, but also track stolen bikes and the sales will begin in the capital Kigali, where riders operate under tight government regulation and have a close relationship with the state security apparatus.
Motorcycle taxis in Kigali have often been used as an extension of the policing system to track down criminals and suspects, and the moto-meter is expected to allow the state to continue this tradition using more modern technologies.
Moto-taxi operators in the country have of late been hit by a wave of motorcycle thefts, which left many operators in wave of fear for their life especially those who operate at night.
Mr Musabyiyaremye said the new system will enhance the security of taxi-moto operators.