中英對照讀新聞》Motorbike taxi jostle for trade in crowded Lagos 擁擠的拉哥斯 搶生意的摩托計程車

奈及利亞摩托計程車服務公司ORide。（法新社檔案照）

◎孫宇青

Banker Yemi Adegbola used to leave his home before 4 am each day, but would still arrive late to work because of the notorious traffic in Lagos, Nigeria’s biggest city. Now he has "dumped his car" for a motorbike ride.

銀行職員耶米．阿德戈波拉每天都在早上4點前出門，上班卻照樣遲到，問題出在奈及利亞最大城市拉哥斯惡名昭彰的交通狀況。現在，他都「拋棄愛車」，改搭摩托計程車。

請繼續往下閱讀...

Sensing an opportunity, a growing number of ride hailing services established, bringing order to the "okada" motorbike taxis that have long whizzed perilously around Lagos.

愈來愈多叫車服務公司因為察覺到商機而成立，將長期在拉哥斯市內飆車的「歐卡打」，整頓轉型為摩托計程車。

First to launch was Gokada in 2018, followed by other operators like Maxokada and ORide. The competitors are looking to overtake each other with better technology, lower prices and more services.

Gokada在2018年首次出現，接著又有Maxokada和ORide等其他營運商。這些競爭者都希望憑藉更厲害的科技、更低廉的價格和更多樣的服務超越彼此。

Before these startups, Lagosians in a hurry had to put their faith in unregulated "okada" riders weaving hazardously through the traffic.

在這些新創公司出現之前，趕時間的拉哥斯人只能相信在路上橫衝直撞、毫無規矩的「歐卡打」騎士。

The ride hailing services provide a striking difference. Their drivers are decked out in bibs and helmets in company colors, carry safety kits with them.

叫車服務提供全然不同的體驗。司機穿著有公司代表色的騎士服和安全帽，並隨身攜帶急救箱。

Passengers are charged an Uber-style tariff, and no longer have to resort to haggling each time they hail a ride.

乘客按照類似「優步」的費率支付車費，也不用每次叫車都得討價還價。

◎新聞辭典

jostle：動詞，推擠；爭奪。例句：Reporters jostled to interview the super star.（為了採訪超級巨星，記者互相推撞。）

weave：動詞，穿行；編織。例句：The police weaved through stationary traffic to hunt the fugitive.（警察在靜止的車流中穿行，以追捕逃犯。）

haggle：動詞，討價還價。例句：I was too shy to haggle over prices.（我太害羞，不敢討價還價。）

不用抽 不用搶 現在用APP看新聞 保證天天中獎　 點我下載APP　 按我看活動辦法