Bengaluru: Commuters seem not too happy with their cab drivers in the city and have been flooding the cab aggregator apps with negative feedback. But the cab companies are fining such drivers Rs 500 every day, alleged cab drivers’ unions.
Union members told Deccan Chronicle that there is no proof of commuters giving negative feedback, as it is not revealed to the drivers by cab companies. They alleged that the Rs 500 fine per driver per day is a ploy by the cab companies to make money, while road transport officials too are involved in this racket. The unions have now demanded a separate committee to monitor cab aggregators.
Mr Tanveer Pasha, president, Ola, Taxiforsure and Uber Drivers’ and Owners’ Association, told Deccan Chronicle, “People think that cabs in the city are expensive and drivers are making a handsome profit. But in reality, only the aggregators are making money. Every day, our drivers are paying a fine of Rs 500.”
“Drivers are paying the fine as they are worried about losing their livelihood, while cab aggregators are not ready to show proof of negative feedback. According to the Motor Vehicles Act, aggregators have no right to collect such fines. They can only complain to RTO officials. We are sure that some officers too are getting a cut from these aggregators,” Mr Pasha alleged.
The transport department had decided to form a committee involving union members, representatives from cab aggregators and RTO officials to work out the minimum and maximum fares by classifying cabs into four categories based on the price of vehicles. But after over a year, the Regional Transport Office is still sitting on the proposal. Soon after forming the government, Chief Minister H.D. Kumarswamy had met cab drivers and instructed RTO officials to form the committee, but nothing has progressed beyond that.
Bengaluru has over 70, 000 cabs attached to Ola and Uber. At present, a cab ride costs an average of Rs 19 per kilometre, of which 30 per cent goes to aggregators, while the remaining 70 per cent is shared by cab drivers and owners.
Sources said that every driver has to do a specific number of trips during peak hours (11 am to 10 pm) and if he gets a negative rating, he has to let go of the incentives and also pay the fine.
“We need a committee which involves drivers union, aggregators and RTO officials. Only this will improve the working conditions for and help us see some profit. While meeting us, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had instructed the RTO officials to come up with the committee soon, but nothing has been done yet. We met the transport minister last week and requested him to solve our problem,” Mr Pasha said.
But an official from Ola, requesting anonymity, said, “It is a baseless allegation by some drivers. Our company is not trying to make money using such tactics. Every day, we get new drivers to work for us and it shows that drivers are happy to work with us."
