Four years of SafeCar: How SafeBoda listened to Ugandans and changed car hailing

What the report says

SafeBoda is marking four years since it launched its SafeCar ride-hailing service in Kampala, a move the company says was meant to respond to changing transport needs beyond its boda-boda network. According to The Independent Uganda, SafeCar was officially introduced on Sept. 8, 2022, and was designed to serve trips where motorcycle taxis were less practical, such as group travel, airport runs and late-night journeys.

The article says the service entered a market shaped by post-COVID pressure on both passengers and drivers, including tighter household budgets and rising disputes over fares. SafeCar’s response was to promote fixed prices shown in the app and reject fare negotiations, with the stated aim of restoring trust in digital transport. The platform also says it does not use surge pricing during periods of high demand.

The company says the service has now completed more than three million trips and has worked with more than 15,000 car drivers. It also highlights driver onboarding measures such as vehicle inspections, document checks, background screening and training, alongside customer features like trip sharing, 24-hour support and a walk-in centre in Kyebando, Kampala.

The broader significance, as framed by the publisher, is that SafeCar reflects a wider lesson about transport innovation in Uganda: services may gain traction when they are built around local commuting realities, affordability concerns and safety expectations rather than imported assumptions about ride-hailing.