Cab drivers urge for better commission from aggregators in Bengaluru
According to drivers union the app culture is yet to board all auto drivers as they rely on spot bookings and meter charges
While getting your ride in time as you run late for work is a common occurrence in Bengaluru, the other side of the story too deserves attention as cab drivers often grapple with the commission rates imposed by different ride-hailing platforms. While Namma Yatri assures a zero commission charge, the larger clientele base lies in Ola and Uber, according to drivers.
“We do get higher fares at peak hours, but the traffic is a hustle. My daily wages come up to ₹2000 to ₹3000 rupees, after deducting the commission and the fuel charges but it would be more helpful if the commission rates on Ola and Uber weren’t so high,” said Kiran Kumar who has been working as a cab driver for the last two decades.
However, independent cab drivers who rely on their cab networks and groups to get bookings, they do fairly better and don’t rely on the apps for bookings. However, SUV cabs like those of Hanumanth have higher fares compared to the everyday hatchback cabs, which are the most booked. “Uber’s commission rate is at 40%, Ola’s commission rate is at 30% and Rapido’s commission is ₹600 after drivers reach an earning cap of ten thousand rupees,” Mr. Hanumanth said.
On the other hand, some auto drivers reported a hike in earnings due to these apps that have simplified bookings for them. “While Uber charges a commission of ₹49, Ola and Namma Yatri charge about ₹25 a day for unlimited bookings. Nonetheless, Namma Yatri started charging drivers the commission about eight months ago although it is an Open Networks for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform,” Mahesh G., auto driver, from Jaynagara said.
“Namma Yatri currently has a zero-commission policy for both autos and cabs. This means drivers get to keep 100% of their earnings per trip. However, a subscription fee is applicable for auto. Drivers can choose a daily plan of ₹25 for unlimited trips or a per-trip plan of ₹3.50, which is ideal for those taking fewer than 2-3 trips a day. It’s important to note that the subscription fee structure for cabs is not yet implemented and is expected to launch around October 1. We will likely announce the specific plans closer to the launch date,” said Shan M.S., Chief Growth Officer at Juspay Technologies who runs Namma Yatri.
According to drivers union the app culture is yet to board all auto drivers as they rely on spot bookings and meter charges.
T.M. Rudramurthy, Principal Secretary of the Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union (ARDU) said that he has written to the Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner to increase auto rickshaw fare metres. He argued that the fare metre for 2 km has been fixed at ₹30 since December, 2021, and that these prices must be increased every year as per the standards of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
Meanwhile, when The Hindu contacted cab aggregators, Rapido, Ola and Uber, they refused to comment on the questions raised regarding commissions.
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