PHTM - The trades favourite read
Cab Direct
  • Newspaper
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Advertising Rates
    • Artwork Specification
  • News
    • Latest Stories
    • Bernie the Book
  • Trade Index
  • Classifieds
    • Buy/Sell Vehicle
    • Buy/Sell Taxi Product
    • Buy/Sell Business
    • Find/Advertise Job
  • Tables
    • Hackney Taxi Fare Tables
    • Councils' Knowledge Test Survey
    • Operator Licence Survey
    • In-Vehicle CCTV and Seating Survey
    • Bus Lane And Vehicle Livery Colour Survey
    • Driver and Vehicle Numbers and Licence Fees
    • Vehicle Age and Regulation Survey
  • Contact
  • PHTM EXPO
    • 2021 Milton Keynes
    • 2019 Video
    • 2019 Gallery
Taxi Insurance Curb Pay
Posted on the 6th April 2021 in PHTM News

INDIAN CABBIE TAKES OWN LIFE DUE TO FINANCIAL DISTRESS CAUSED BY APP COMPANIES

The financial distress felt by India’s cab drivers after the arrival of Ola and Uber saw 32-year-old Pratap, a cab driver with the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC), die by self-immolation on Tuesday 30 March near Bengaluru airport.

Inc42 reports that not able to pay his car loan, worried about the fall in income due to the aggressive pricing strategy of Ola and Uber, but most of all, anguished by the lack of government support, Pratap took his own life. He succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday, and the news drove his fellow cab drivers to protest at the airport.

Pratap’s struggles typify the experience for cabbies who have not joined cab aggregators such as Ola and Uber. Ola launched in 2010 with Uber arriving in 2013 and both companies now dominate the market once led by small private taxi companies in select cities.

The aggressive pricing strategy by these tech platforms for acquiring customers and the lucrative incentives for drivers in the early years meant that both companies managed to drive the regular taxis to the fringe.

But Ola and Uber’s pricing while successful in gaining customers, has alienated their drivers, who spend time between fares campaigning for better wages and rights on Facebook forums and on the roads with their unions.

The protest launched at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport after Pratap’s death, against Ola and Uber, saw several drivers affiliated with those two companies also participate in the demonstrations. They may be on the opposite side of Pratap, but the grievances are theirs too.

Tanveer Pasha, president of the Ola, TaxiForSure and Uber (OTU) Drivers’ Union in Bengaluru told Inc42 that an indefinite strike may be on the cards if Ola and Uber fail to guarantee better prices to their drivers.

He said that after deducting the cab aggregator’s commission on every ride and the GST surcharge, a driver is able to pocket only 70% of the ride fare. Last year, the central government had mandated that cab aggregators will not be allowed to charge more than 20% of the ride fare as commission.

The last few months have seen cab drivers go on strike in several cities. In Kolkata, drivers are refusing to switch on the air-conditioner in the car to save fuel, much to the chagrin of commuters. Similar incidents have been reported in Delhi and Bengaluru as well. Uber and Ola didn’t respond to queries about this troubling development.

After Pratap’s death, Facebook groups of cab drivers’ unions have been flooded with condolence messages. There are other posts too, celebrating the show of unity by drivers in Bengaluru who’ve chosen to protest at the airport.

Source: https://inc42.com/buzz/bengaluru-cab-drivers-death-shows-ola-uber-have-more-to-fix/

 

  • Share on Facebook
  • Tweet about it

Read another story

  • MAN ARRESTED AFTER RACIST ATTACK ON TORQUAY CABBIE OVER FACE MASK REQUESTMAN ARRESTED AFTER RACIST ATTACK ON TORQUAY CABBIE OVER FACE MASK REQUEST

    The taxi driver claimed he was assaulted and racially abused after asking a passenger to wear a face mask.Read More

  • NEWCASTLE CABBIE WHO SUPPLIED CANNABIS USING HIS JOB AS COVER ESCAPES JAILNEWCASTLE CABBIE WHO SUPPLIED CANNABIS USING HIS JOB AS COVER ESCAPES JAIL

    Fashad Mohammad, of Fenham, used his taxi to drop off cannabis deals to customers throughout Newcastle.Read More

  • SCOTS ROAD RAGE YOB FOLLOWED CABBIE THEN PUNCHED HIM AS HE DROPPED OFF PASSENGERSCOTS ROAD RAGE YOB FOLLOWED CABBIE THEN PUNCHED HIM AS HE DROPPED OFF PASSENGER

    The innocent cabbie, 46, was dropping off a fare in Wilson Street, Renfrew, when he was assaulted.Read More

  • MEASURES TO BOOST SAFETY ON ALL LANE RUNNING MOTORWAYS ACCELERATEDMEASURES TO BOOST SAFETY ON ALL LANE RUNNING MOTORWAYS ACCELERATED

    Every new ‘All Lane Running’ (ALR) motorway will open with technology in place to spot stopped or broken-down vehicles quickly.Read More

  • UBER MAKES FIRST HOLIDAY AND NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE PAYMENTSUBER MAKES FIRST HOLIDAY AND NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE PAYMENTS

    Uber has made its first holiday payment and national minimum wage to all its drivers.Read More

  • ESSEX PARISH COUNCIL VOICES OPPOSITION TO TAXIS LEFT ON FIELD IN THORNWOODESSEX PARISH COUNCIL VOICES OPPOSITION TO TAXIS LEFT ON FIELD IN THORNWOOD

    A parish council has signalled its opposition to allow more than 200 London taxis to continue to be stored on green belt land.Read More

  • BOLTON CABBIES CALL FOR CCTV AFTER SPATE OF ATTACKSBOLTON CABBIES CALL FOR CCTV AFTER SPATE OF ATTACKS

    Cabbies in Bolton are growing more worried over the number of attacks they are facing behind the wheel and are calling for more action to be taken to protect them.Read More

  • DRIVER CUT FROM PHV AFTER TWO VEHICLE COLLISION IN WARRINGTONDRIVER CUT FROM PHV AFTER TWO VEHICLE COLLISION IN WARRINGTON

    Police set up a crime scene at Bewsey following a two-vehicle collision which resulted in firefighters cutting free a person trapped in a private hire vehicle.Read More

  • FOUR TAXI DRIVERS FAIL TO PICK UP TAUNTON WHEELCHAIR USER FOUR TAXI DRIVERS FAIL TO PICK UP TAUNTON WHEELCHAIR USER

    A wheelchair user claims four cabbies declined to pick her up at a taxi rank in the centre of Taunton.Read More

  • MAN JAILED FOR NINE YEARS AFTER CORBY TAXI DRIVER HELD UP AT GUNPOINTMAN JAILED FOR NINE YEARS AFTER CORBY TAXI DRIVER HELD UP AT GUNPOINT

    A man has been jailed for nine years for his role in the terrifying gunpoint robbery of a Corby taxi driver.Read More

Load More News

    read newspaper print newspaper register for phtm

    PHTM Trade Index

    phtm app phtm.co.uk/app/apple | phtm.co.uk/app/android
      • Driver Bubble
      • curb pay
      • insure taxi
      • Curb
      • Birkdale Insurance Group
      • Coversure
      • iCabbi
      • The Taxi Centre
      • Cab Direct
      • Taxi CCTV
      • Acorn Taxi Insurance
      • Scancom
      • Patterson Law
      • Driver Tax
      • Taxi Shop
PHTM • 11 Heaton Lodge • Bury Old Road
Manchester • M25 1NZ • 0161 688 7777
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn
All content Copyright © 2021 | About | Privacy
Private Hire and Taxi Monthly Limited