Remember when we were first introduced to ride-hailing apps? Whether it was an auto, a cab, or even a bike taxi, getting a ride was suddenly so easy and convenient.
However, this convenience of getting a quick ride seems to be slipping away lately. What was once a hassle-free experience is becoming more frustrating.
But why? Let’s understand this “inconvenience” from people’s first-hand experience.
Ride-Hailing Woes
If you ever visit Guwahati and try booking an auto through any ride-hailing app, you'll likely experience a common scenario. As, Arindam, a bank employee from Guwahati says “The auto driver will first call you to ask about the fare shown on the app. Then, the driver will often give an excuse about heavy traffic and insist on an extra payment above the app's fare.”
This certainly doesn't spell “convenience.”
But this isn't the only inconvenience happening in the city. There's more to it.
Dimpi, another working professional from the city says that whenever she books a bike taxi, the ride arrives as expected. However, the driver often requests her to cancel the trip on the app and then offers to continue the journey offline for a slightly higher price. While she has the option to refuse and book another ride, she's certain that similar situations will arise on her next ride as well.
In this list of inconveniences, there's one more that stands out.
When the bike-taxi concept was new, it was a convenient option for many commuters. However, over time, it has become a different kind of trouble. In Guwahati, bike-taxi drivers have formed their own groups in designated areas known as “Stands”. Here, they park their bikes and actively solicit passengers, often demanding sky-high prices that far exceed the usual rates offered through ride-hailing apps.
Now, the issues aren't just limited to Guwahati; other cities across India are also experiencing similar problems. Complaints range from longer wait times and poorer service to frequent ride cancellations.
App Fees vs. Driver Livelihoods
Now, ride-hailing inconveniences aren’t solely because of the drivers. It's unfair to place all the blame on them. The apps themselves must share some of the responsibility.
On the other side of the story, cab drivers often struggle with high commission rates imposed by various ride-hailing platforms.
A cab driver in Bengaluru, who averages about 15 hours a day, spends over Rs 20,000 a month on fuel alone. He points out that fuel costs have doubled, and incentives are mostly available only on weekends when demand peaks.
The combination of rising commission rates, fuel expenses, and other costs has made it increasingly challenging to sustain a livelihood in what was once a lucrative profession.
Another cab driver mentioned that he earns higher fares during peak hours, but dealing with traffic is a daily struggle. After deducting commissions and fuel charges, his daily earnings aren’t high enough to make a stable living. He said it would be manageable if the commission rates on these apps weren’t so high.
In 2018 hundreds of Uber and Ola drivers went on strike in the two biggest Indian cities, Delhi and Mumbai, demanding higher fares to meet rising fuel costs that are eating away at their incomes.
Then in October last year, Ola and Uber drivers in Chennai started a two-day strike to protest the high commission rates imposed by the ride-hailing platforms. Recently in February, an indefinite strike was called by app-based cab drivers in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.
WhatsApp and Telegram Take the Wheel
While there doesn't seem to be one solid solution that would solve all the ride-hailing inconvenience — for apps, drivers, and passengers, the government of India seems to be trying to solve this as well.
Last year, the Indian government-backed open commerce network, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), started offering ride-hailing at zero commission. Namma Yatri offers three-wheeler auto rickshaw rides for Bangalore city where neither drivers nor riders pay any commission.
Additionally, in Bengaluru, cab and autorickshaw drivers are also using some platforms that aren’t meant to be for ride-hailing. Drivers are using Telegram, WhatsApp groups, and new app platforms, including those backed by drivers' unions to challenge the mainstream ride-hailing platforms.
According to reports, these Telegram and WhatsApp groups that are called “duty groups,” have been active for over two years, with their membership steadily increasing.
But how do these groups work?
There are two kinds of groups for cab drivers. One type includes only drivers who share trip leads when they can't take them themselves. The other group involves drivers, travel agents, and administrators from tech parks and IT firms. They post trip requests for employees after work hours.
Some drivers also add their regular customers to these groups. In a way, it benefits everyone — drivers avoid commissions, and passengers pay government-fixed fares.
Rethinking Ride-Hailing
As we look at ride-hailing in India, it's clear that what once seemed so easy now comes with a lot of problems for drivers and passengers. New ideas like apps without fees and WhatsApp groups trying to fix things show us there might be ways to make it better.
But they also make us think: How do we make sure drivers get paid fairly and passengers pay reasonable prices? What should technology do to change how we get around? And most importantly, how do we balance convenience with doing the right thing in our digital world?
These aren't just questions for big companies and governments—they're for all of us who use these services every day.
Edited by Harshajit Sarmah
