Ridesharing services in urban Zimbabwe: Impacts and challenges

Abstract

Urban mobilities across Sub-Saharan Africa are undergoing a transition and rapid change due to the rise of ridesharing services as part of the expanding sharing economy. The novel contribution of this paper is to examine the impacts and challenges associated with the introduction of ridesharing services in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city. The research draws on 27 semi-structured interviews conducted with drivers and passengers participating in the city’s ridesharing economy. Key impacts identified include enhanced accessibility to transport services, job creation, the provision of affordable transport options, a convenient and reliable mode of travel, improved safety and security, and reduced travel times. Nevertheless, important challenges to operating ridesharing services in urban Zimbabwe include weak and unreliable internet connectivity and poor, deteriorated road infrastructure.