Uber, Ola drivers last minute cancellations take toll on commuters in Hyderabad suburbs

Hyderabad: Certain places in Hyderabad such as Sainikpuri, Yapral, Nanakramguda and the outskirts of the city are facing a growing concern regarding the reliability of ride-hailing services like Uber and Ola.

Residents report frequent last-minute cancellations, particularly during late-night and early-morning hours. This problem not only causes inconvenience but also raises questions about the accountability and service quality of these platforms.

Case Study 1: Sarah Dhinojwala’s experience

Sarah Dhinojwala, a resident of Hyderabad, shared her frustrating experience with Uber.

On a recent Saturday night, she and her family booked an Uber while standing near Paradise Metro Station, Parade Ground. Despite the app indicating that the driver had reached the location, the car was actually on the opposite side of the road. When Sarah requested the driver to come to their side, he refused and subsequently cancelled the ride. To her dismay, she was charged a Rs 56 cancellation fee despite the inconvenience.

In another incident, Sarah mistakenly booked an Uber Auto from a location far from her actual position. Realising her mistake, she corrected the booking, which altered the fare from Rs 230 to Rs 104. Assuming responsibility for the confusion, she paid the driver Rs 150 in cash. However, the app later reflected an outstanding amount of Rs 104, which was eventually waived off after multiple emails to Uber’s customer service.

Case Study 2: Late-night struggles

Vijay Reddy, another resident of Hyderabad, recounted a similar experience late at night.

“I booked an Uber to go home after a long day at work. The driver called me and upon hearing my location, cancelled the ride without explanation,” Vijay said.

Left without transportation, Vijay had to find alternative means to reach home, which proved challenging given the late hours and limited public transport options.

Case Study 3: Morning commute woes

Maya Sharma faced issues with the app-based ride services during her morning commute.

“I rely on Ola for my daily commute to work. One morning, the driver arrived but refused to drive me to my destination, claiming it was out of his way,” she said. The driver cancelled the ride, leaving Maya to scramble for another vehicle, making her late for work.

Case Study 4: Unexpected termination of ride

Amanda Collins shared her ordeal: “I booked an Uber one day to take me to BR Ambedkar Bhavan. Upon reaching Kharkhana, the driver asked me to get out of the vehicle and did not even provide any reason as to why. He ended the ride, and I had to pay the whole amount without being able to reach my destination. The app should be more aware of locations and where the passenger is being dropped off and only then charge a fee that is applicable.”

Impact on residents

The recurring problem of ride cancellations poses significant challenges for the residents of Secunderabad and surrounding areas. The lack of reliable transportation options can lead to missed appointments, increased wait times, and heightened anxiety, especially for those travelling late at night or early in the morning. The inconvenience is compounded when passengers are charged cancellation fees through no fault of their own.

Regulatory and legal context

The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), led by Shaik Salauddin, has been advocating for the rights of gig workers, including those in the ride-hailing industry.

Salauddin highlighted the importance of protecting both passengers and drivers: “It’s crucial that we establish clear regulations that hold ride-hailing companies accountable. This includes ensuring fair treatment for drivers and transparency for passengers regarding fare charges and ride cancellations.”

He further emphasised the need for better grievance redressal mechanisms:

“Passengers should not have to bear the cost of drivers cancelling rides without valid reasons. The current system often leaves both drivers and passengers in difficult situations, and this needs to be addressed through proper regulation and oversight.”

Key aspects of the proposed legislation include:

1. Social Security and Fair Wages: Ensuring gig workers receive fair compensation and social security benefits, including insurance.

2. Registration and Monitoring: Implementing a system for registering platform-based gig workers and aggregators, with unique IDs for each worker, to prevent exclusion and ensure proper tracking.

3. Tripartite Board: Establishing a board comprising government representatives, workers and aggregators to monitor the law and facilitate dialogue, potentially leading to collective bargaining.

4. Levy Collection: Introducing a tax on transactions to fund worker benefits.

5. Transaction Monitoring: Setting up a system to monitor financial transactions between workers and aggregators, including work hours and earnings.

6. Grievance Redressal: Creating a protocol for handling worker grievances with accountability shared among the labour department, the tripartite board and aggregators.