Uber, Ola drivers may face fines for cancelling rides: Govt panel

A state government-appointed committee set up in April, 2023, following a slew of complaints by consumers on various social media platforms.

Mumbai: Commuters’ annoyance with the many failings of drivers of cab aggregators, such as delays in pick-ups and unjustified cancellations, will soon be addressed. A state government-appointed committee set up in April, 2023, following a slew of complaints by consumers on various social media platforms and the government over a period of time, will table the recommendations aimed to solve these niggling issues.

At present, aggregator cabs levy a fine every time a passenger cancels a ride. (HT file photo)

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Chief among the recommendations is that a passenger receive a rebate in the range of ₹50-75 each time a driver cancels a ride. At present, aggregator cabs levy a fine every time a passenger cancels a ride. On the other hand, a driver will get 20 minutes as maximum time to reach the pick-up point, beyond which fines will be levied for delay. Also, in a first, the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) will have the right to delist an aggregator cab if a vehicle is found to be in an unfit condition to be on road.

The six-member committee, headed by retired bureaucrat Sudhirkumar Shrivastava, a former transport secretary, other senior officers from the transport department and RTO, has formed the draft recommendations, which will be submitted to the state government soon. “These recommendations will come into effect only when the government accepts them. Every passenger facing cancellation will be given the rebate,” said a government official on condition of anonymity. In the course of setting up the new rules the committee also invited opinions from decision makers from respective aggregators.

The draft rules bring hope to passengers, as many suffer a wait of between 10-15 minutes during peak time, followed by cancellations. “Whenever this decision comes into effect, we will welcome it. The government should confirm the mode of payment to the passenger when he or she transacts with the cab aggregator. Such a rebate should ideally be routed through the system,” said advocate Shirish Deshpande, chairperson of Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, a body that resolves consumer problems.

Apart from this, sources said authorities at RTO will also be empowered to cancel the vehicle permit over the health and general condition of the vehicle. Sources said, at present the aggregator decides on the course of action when a passenger complains on the mobile app about the overall ride experience, behaviour of drivers and vehicle quality, vis-à-vis ‘star ratings’.

“The action taken by the respective company is not on public domain, and hence the RTO may be given the scope for taking necessary action,” said another official. Most common complaints are: poor quality of vehicle, soiled seats and squeaky doors. Sources said the government is likely to take these recommendations positively.

“We will shortly submit the report for state government’s approval,” said Shrivastava. These draft rules are in accordance with the Motor Vehicle Aggregators Guidelines 2020 issued by the union ministry for road transport and highways, which has directed all states to implement the guidelines. The committee also looked into issues such as fare regulation, driver training and background checks for drivers.

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BOX-1:

HL:

A decade on the road

Uber completed 10 years of operations in India on August 29. Today it operates in 125 cities.

●      ₹50,000 crore: Money earned by drivers through the Uber platform since 2013

●     3,300 crore kms: Miles driven

●     300 crore: Total number of trips taken on Uber in India

●     30 lakh: Number of drivers who have earned via the Uber app as a driver partner

●     4 crore kms: Number of green kilometers driven on Uber in India

Box-2

HL:

Rough ride

It will be a great decision if the government approves it. There have been many instances when the aggregator cabbies have cancelled the ride after a good 8-10 minutes. Out wait becomes futile. There is no way to complain about the drivers as their details vanish as soon as they cancel the ride.

Shruti Modkharkar, resident of Kurla

There have been many instances in the past when a driver has accepted a booking, following which the app showed the expected time of arrival but after a few minutes’ wait, the app automatically started searching for a new driver. There is no mechanism to keep a watch on the driver who has cancelled the ride.

Deepak Gupta, resident of Mumbai Central

I run an event management company and getting cabs from the airport is a big challenge as drivers keep cancelling. This is a very good move by the government and will bring much relief to passengers, especially those who use digital payment. Many drivers cancel rides after arriving at pick-up points and demand cash payment from passengers.