Concerns are peaking

Exorbitant charges

When ride-hailing apps like ‘Ola’ and ‘Uber’ first introduced their services they were welcomed with open arms. Compared to the outrageous prices quoted by autorickshaw drivers, the deteriorating condition of BMTC buses and poor Metro connectivity, these services were blessing in disguise. Priced reasonably, a commuter could travel in comfort to any location in the city.

But the story has taken a different turn now — as more taxis flood the streets and people become more dependent on them, the fare amount per ride has also spiked. More often than not, these services charge 2 times, sometimes even 5 times, more than the meter during peak hour traffic (and let’s face it, the roads are always jammed in Bengaluru) or at night. They are no longer the cheaper and more convenient form of transportation and commuters are irked by the haphazard pricing system.

Praneeth Chakravarthy, a student who uses ride-hailing apps whenever he goes out with his friends, was thrilled by these apps at first, but is no longer impressed because of the fare.

Commenting on the surge pricing model used by such apps, he says, “When you really need taxis they charge twice as much, blaming it on the traffic, and get away with it because a commuter is left with no other choice on certain days. And it’s worse at night as autorickshaws aren’t a guarantee and one has to get back home so they willing to pay any amount demanded by taxis.”  With the Karnataka government planning to introduce a cap on surge prices to equal out the playing field for all taxi services, many commuters can’t help but smile in relief. If implemented, taxis will be allowed to charge only 1.5 times more than the meter, between 11 pm to 5 am.

Vrujen Andhare, a youngster who frequently travels the city, especially at night, says that he hates paying anything more than 2 times the meter but can’t help it sometimes. This is why he prefers finding other modes of transport when there is a surge. “When I try searching for a taxi during a surge, it becomes a real headache. Not only is it difficult to find a taxi at the time, but they also charge exorbitantly.” He hasn’t complained about these surges because he usually finds another way to travel, but there are many commuters who complain to the Bengaluru Traffic Police on social media sites as they are getting tired of emptying their wallets.

Even regular ride-hailing app users find themselves in a tight spot. Rupesh Patange orders a car from ‘Uber’ everyday, from J P Nagar to World Trade Centre and back. Since he is a regular user, he has set aside a budget for this but says that it exceeds that during surges, which are becoming more frequent. “Every morning, after 8.30 am, the surge varies from 1.5 to 2.2 times the meter which is super inconvenient. I have budgeted around Rs 500 per day, but it goes to Rs 700 or 750 on many days. On weekends, the surge goes up 2.5 times so I wait to book a taxi.”

But he makes a valid point — that as long as a person can afford it, it’s not going to be a problem, which is the case these days.  “Of course, there should be a cap on surge but people who can afford it and have no choice will pay no matter what. And a cap shouldn’t deter a commuter or driver from taking the ride. If drivers don’t gain any benefit, they won’t maintain the cabs or turn on the air conditioning, I have experienced this. So if there is a tariff to be followed by every service and that’s agreed upon, it’s a win-win. It shouldn’t turn into what autorickshaws are doing now — they charge a lot but aren’t well-maintained,” says Rupesh. He terms it ‘business’ but adds that there should be loyalty programmes for regular customers.