A day in a life of....: A Taxi Driver

“I am a taxi driver, operating from Nyabugogo to Remera. I have done this work for the last 10 years and have decided to go on with it for life,” Patrick Habimana starts off. Below, he sums up his day: I wake-up at 5:30a.m, take a shower then immediately set off for Nyabugogo Taxi Park. By 6a.m I am already at work. Filling one’s taxi depends on who reaches first at the taxi park. When I go early, then I stand a higher chance of being first to get passengers. Usually, I am amongst the first five drivers to reach the Stage. Latest by 7:30a.m I am driving from Nyabugogo to Remera. It usually takes me about 45 minutes to reach Remera Taxi Park. When I reach Remera Taxi Park, at around 8:30, I wait for my turn to fill my taxi. The wait depends on the number of taxis I find lined up ahead of mine. As I wait for my turn to get passengers then return to Nyabugogo, I have my breakfast. Waiting for about an hour or even two, my turn reaches and after filling my taxi, I drive back to Nyabugogo. I continue working up to 12p.m when I go for my lunch at the nearby restaurants be it at Nyabugogo or Remera. Most times, the hour finds me at Nyabugogo. At around 1p.m, after my lunch, I make sure I drink something cold because driving a taxi is a hard task. It’s not only about driving but also involves some other hard moments with some stubborn passengers. I continue working until 4p.m when I take some Milk tea. Passengers are usually not very many at this hour, so I normally rest a bit. 5pm is when passengers are many, probably because people are leaving work places. From this time up to 8p.m, I am usually very busy. I stop work at 8p.m, because those are my boss’ instructions. When I don’t pass by some friends’ places, I usually reach home at around 9pm. I have a shower, take tea and listen to some music. I sometimes go and watch movies at one of the public video halls in Kimicanga but make it a point to be home by 10p.m. I go to bed latest 10:30p.m. Ends