Tanga: Bicycle taxi operators lose business to ‘bodaboda’

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The decline marks a significant shift for a city where bicycle taxis were once a common means of transport, particularly before motorcycle taxis became widespread

Tanga. Passenger transport by bicycle is losing popularity in Tanga as the growing use of motorcycle taxis, commonly known as bodaboda, continues to reshape the city’s transport sector.

The decline marks a significant shift for a city where bicycle taxis were once a common means of transport, particularly before motorcycle taxis became widespread. Athuman Idd, a bicycle taxi operator in Tanga, said about 20 years ago the business had many operators and provided a reliable source of income.

However, he said the number of customers had declined as more passengers turned to motorcycle taxis. He said bicycle transport was once profitable because operators did not need to spend money on fuel, relying instead on their physical strength to transport passengers and goods.