Nairobi — Ride-hailing firm Little Cab has posted influx of drivers and riders as a nationwide strike by digital taxi operators crippled services across major platforms including Uber, Bolt and Faras.
The industrial action, which began on November 3, followed a directive by the Amalgamation of Digital Transport Organisations, Kenya, instructing drivers, vehicle owners, digital taxi captains and boda boda operators to switch off all ride-hailing applications and join demonstrations.
The notice, signed by Joint Chairs Daniel Manga and Justin Nyaga, cited persistent grievances over low trip earnings, rising operating costs, opaque commission structures and slow dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Little Cab, however, remained fully operational.
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The company says it experienced an exceptional surge in new driver onboarding, rider registrations and corporate mobility enrolments within the first 24 hours of the strike.
According to Little's management, onboarding teams worked extended hours to process applications, yet the platform sustained uninterrupted service with no downtime, even as traffic volumes rose sharply.
A key point of attraction for drivers was Little's comparatively lower and more predictable commission regime. Little Cab charges an 18 percent commission on the value of every trip for both corporate and cash rides--though it has gone as low as 15 percent in the past.
The rate was set in line with government regulations capping ride-hailing commissions at 18 percent. Promotions are structured so that drivers receive the full credited amount, and the company retains the flexibility to adjust prices based on market dynamics. Drivers switching to Little from rival platforms said these features offered greater transparency and better earnings visibility, especially at a time when global platforms faced accusations of unpredictable deductions.
Corporate users also gravitated towards the platform, drawn by its pricing consistency and the absence of extreme surge costs during the disruption.
Little CEO Kamal Budhabatti said the moment reflected long-standing market dynamics rather than opportunism. "Drivers want dignity and riders want reliability. Little has built its model around this simple truth, and today the market is speaking for itself," he said.
The strike has exposed structural weaknesses in Kenya's fast-growing digital transport ecosystem, particularly the dependence of global platforms on high commissions and automated pricing systems that drivers argue have eroded their take-home earnings. With competitors offline for much of the day, Little's stability enhanced its appeal among both drivers and riders, strengthening the company's position in a market long shaped by multinational firms.
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Budhabatti emphasised that the company would continue scaling cautiously to maintain service quality. He noted that Little intends to uphold its focus on fair driver earnings, transparent pricing, reliable rider experiences free from pricing shocks, and enhanced safety and welfare for both drivers and passengers.
"We don't celebrate disruption, we celebrate choice," he said. "Drivers and riders choosing Little tells us we're doing something right."
