Coimbatore: G Sathish, a resident of Peellamedu, recently booked an autorickshaw to the city train station from his home on an Ola-based taxi aggregator for RS180 to take the middle night train.
The driver, who made a call to ask about the details of pickup and drop, strive to find out the rates displayed in the application and demand additional RS 50 for the trip.
Go without another choice, Sathish must agree to the same thing.
“If we do not approve of their demands, most of the driver will cancel the trip,” he said.
This is when people switch to application-based taxi aggregators like Ola to escape from disappointing taxis.
“There is almost no difference between the cost charged by autos-based applications and normal.
Not worth the money to order and wait for application-based autos.” Things are no different from the application-based taxi too.
While autos demands anywhere between RS30 and RS50 above and above the rates shown in the application, the taxi driver looks for additional Rs 50 to RS 100 per trip.
Lilly Florence, a resident of Ganapathy, said some drivers would ask for train or bus time and try to make customers by exploiting the situation.
“Recently, I ordered a taxi to take the train.
When the driver demanded extra cash, I could only oblige.
The driver said the cabin owner asked him to charge an additional Rs 50 for a day trip and Rs100 for night trips.” However, the driver automatically said The increase in fuel prices and vehicle service costs has forced them to demand more cash from customers.
“Diesel prices are less than Rs 80 per year ago.
Now, appreciated Rs 92.
Service costs have also increased in recent years,” said an automatic driver of Gandhipuram.
K Cathirmathiyon, Secretary, Caution Consumer Coimbatore, said the application-based aggregator must take strict action on drivers based on complaints from customers.
“If not, they will lose their credibility over a certain period of time.
Application-based aggregator still has an advantage over regular taxis when it comes to rates.
But if this problem is not addressed, there will be no difference in the near future,” he said.
He said while the government could revise the rates set in 2013, automatic drivers are always in the habit of demanding more than a fixed amount.
K Umasakthi, commissioner of joint transportation, coimbatore zone, said he had received several complaints that failed the application-based aggregator.
“People can file complaints with us and we will take appropriate action.” Detailed emails sent to Ola executives who asked for their comments did not cause any response.