Bengaluru cabbies float Telegram groups to coordinate their own rides: Report

Cab drivers in Bengaluru are interacting with thousands of customers on Telegram groups for bookings and rides as working conditions with aggregators deteriorate.

Published on: Oct 22, 2022, 13:08:44 IST

By Yamini C S | Edited by Poulomi Ghosh

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Bengaluru's cab drivers have taken to running their own businesses with the help of Telegram groups where they directly coordinate with customers on bookings and rides, as the discontent over working conditions provided by aggregators and ride-hailing apps grows.

Drivers are looking for alternatives from aggregators to avoid harsh working conditions with impossible targets and unbeatable traffic congestions. (Reuters File Photo)

Drivers are forced to negotiate with high fuel costs, high commissions paid to the aggregator per ride -- which is said to be as high as 30 per cent -- low incentives, looming EMI repayments on their vehicles, harsh working conditions with impossible targets and unbeatable traffic congestion.

READ | Karnataka bans Ola, Uber from providing auto services

They are, therefore, looking for alternatives, especially after customers protested the unreasonably high fares which prompted the Karnataka transport department to come down hard on aggregators like Ola, Uber and Rapido, among others to stop auto-rickshaw service in the city.

There are over 10 active Telegram groups that have as many as a thousand cab drivers and several customers from Bengaluru, where they interact for pick-up and drop services and quote a rate for the same, The Times of India reported.

The publication quoted Tanveer Pasha, the president of Ola Uber Drivers’ and Owners’ Association, as saying that customers are happy as they get assured cabs compared to the app-based aggregators, which have unpredictable wait times. "Under this system, both the drivers and customers agree on the fare before the trip so that there are no issues later and there is no surge pricing," he added.

READ | Bengaluru auto unions to launch mobile app Namma Yatri to challenge aggregators

Some groups on Telegram used for this purpose are: ‘Friends Cab Service’, which has over 25,000 members, and ‘A1 cab’, which has nearly 18,000 members.

Auto unions are also looking to launch their own mobile apps, such as ‘Namma Yatri’ and ‘Rook’, which are set to become operational in November.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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