Survey uncovers Bengaluru’s commute woes with surge pricing, cancellations and dirty cars as key issues: Report

A new survey highlights dissatisfaction among Bengaluru’s taxi users, with key issues including unclean vehicles, surge pricing, and drivers using mobile phones

Published on: Aug 24, 2024, 11:11:46 IST

By Yamini C S

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A recent survey by LocalCircles has revealed significant concerns among Bengaluru's taxi users regarding ride-sharing services. The study, which gathered over 10,000 responses, highlights multiple issues experienced by passengers of ride-hailing companies such as Ola, Uber, and BluSmart, according to a report on News18.

Despite these concerns, many still appreciate the convenience and ease of booking provided by these services. (HT File Photo)

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For Uber users, the survey found that 85 per cent faced at least one problem in the past year. The primary complaints included drivers using mobile phones while driving (69 per cent), surge pricing (54 per cent), and ride cancellations (46 per cent). Additionally, 38 per cent were dissatisfied with vehicle cleanliness, while 31 per cent cited other unspecified issues, the report noted. Despite these complaints, 62 per cent of Uber riders appreciated the ease of booking and availability.

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On the other hand, Ola users reported even more problems, with 93 per cent experiencing one or more issues. The most common grievances were surge pricing (78 per cent), drivers talking on mobile (69 per cent), and unclean vehicles (69 per cent), the publication added. Other concerns included ride cancellations (62 per cent) and poor customer service (47 per cent). Nonetheless, 60 per cent of Ola consumers valued the service's ease of booking and availability.

BluSmart users also voiced their concerns, with 61 per cent encountering issues such as unprofessional behavior from drivers and mobile phone usage while driving. Problems with customer service and high costs for rental rides were also noted. Despite these issues, BluSmart riders appreciated the absence of surge pricing and the reliability of drivers not cancelling rides.

Overall, Bengaluru continues to be infamous for its commute issues. There has been a brewing discontent from customers and drivers alike with aggregators, especially after authorities came down hard on them and imposed regulations for overcharging customers.

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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