Field Notes # 2 — on Digital Maps
As door-to-door transporters of people and goods across cities, boda boda drivers navigate the city streets more than anyone else in the city, building an intricate knowledge of the city’s highways, streets, and alleyways. Yet the sheer size of a city like Kampala — around 4 million people, over 2,000 kilometers of roadways, and over 1,000 square kilometers of land — there are always new streets and locations to learn.
Despite this, the usage of digital maps — primarily Google maps, built into other apps — remains low. Digital maps are much more widely used in Nairobi next door, where directions for motorcycles were first rolled out in 2018 on Google Maps, before coming to Uganda in 2020.
To better understand the seeming under-usage of digital maps, Lubyanza conducted an informal survey of boda drivers to ask about their usage of digital maps. We focused on drivers who use ride-hailing and delivery apps — 75% of respondents used SafeBoda, with a further 10% using either Glovo, Uber, or Bolt.
We asked drivers what the main issues they faced using maps on their phones were in a multiple-select survey, administered by Geofrey. The most common answer, selected by 68% of respondents, was simply that it is easier to call the customer than to follow the map.
A third of respondents mentioned having no issues with maps on their phones, while a quarter admitted to not knowing how to use the map.
Only 13% mentioned technical issues — that the maps don’t know the available shortcuts or give longer routes.
Another complaint was passenger-oriented — that those inputting locations would not put exact locations, forcing drivers to call and confirm — which a quarter of respondents mentioned doing.
On the passenger side, the standard operating procedure for those using SafeBoda or other such apps is to call once a location has been inputted. For those living far from the main road, communicating directions can be much more difficult.
Our brief, informal survey hints at what is anecdotally known on the road in Kampala — that drivers remain more comfortable operating with their own mental maps than satellite maps.
If embraced, maps can significantly mitigate the difficulties associated with navigating unfamiliar places. They can reduce airtime costs, improve logistical flows, and reduce frustrations with passengers and deliverers. We need a concerted effort to close the gap between mental maps and satellite maps, so that drivers and passengers can both have a smoother ride.
