64% of ride-hailing passengers would cut usage if fares rise: Ipsos survey

Nearly two-thirds of ride-hailing passengers would reduce or stop using the services if fares increased, a new Ipsos Kenya survey has found.

The study found that 64% of surveyed passengers would either use ride-hailing services less frequently or stop using them altogether if fares went up.

Of those, 54% said they would reduce the frequency of their trips, while 10% said they would stop using ride-hailing services entirely.

The survey, conducted among ride-hailing passengers and drivers, examined perceptions of proposed minimum-fare regulations and their potential impact on affordability, passenger demand, driver earnings and livelihoods.

The findings indicate that a reduction in ride-hailing use could also shift demand towards public transport.

Among passengers who said they would reduce or stop using ride-hailing services following a fare increase, 76% said they would turn to public transport, while 21% said they would instead make fewer trips.

Ride-hailing remains an important mode of transport for many of those surveyed, with 52% describing the services as either very important or essential to their mobility. Overall, 88% said ride-hailing was at least somewhat important to them.

The survey also found that a majority of ride-hailing drivers expect higher fares to result in fewer customers.

Fifty-seven per cent of surveyed drivers said they expected the number of trip requests to decline if fares increased.

Among those anticipating fewer requests, 65% said the reduction in demand would lower their overall monthly ride-hailing earnings.

The survey showed that ride-hailing is a major source of income for many drivers, with 65% saying that at least 75% of their monthly income comes from the platforms.

A further 84% reported driving for seven or more hours each day.

While 34% of drivers identified higher earnings per trip as a possible benefit of increased fares, only 17% expected their overall earnings to rise.

The survey also found that 58% of drivers would find it difficult to secure another source of income if their ride-hailing earnings fell significantly.

For passengers, safety ranked as the leading consideration when choosing a ride-hailing service.

Forty-nine per cent of respondents listed safety among their top two considerations, followed by affordability and reliability at 41% each, while 40% cited convenience.

The proposed higher minimum fares were viewed negatively by 55% of surveyed passengers, compared to 24% who viewed the potential impact positively.

Affordability was the most commonly cited concern, with 34% saying higher fares could make ride-hailing less affordable, while 21% said they could reduce access to transport.

“The research highlights the relationship between fares, passenger demand and driver earnings within the ride-hailing market,” said Ipsos Kenya Director Soyinka Witness.

The passengers surveyed had booked a trip through a ride-hailing platform between June and August 2026.

Ipsos cautioned that the findings represent respondents' expectations and perceptions and should not be interpreted as forecasts of actual future market behaviour.