Mumbai app cabbies to ask for new, revised fares

Five days after MMRTA revised the fares of Ola, Rapido and Uber, drivers claim that the companies haven’t updated their apps yet to reflect the changes.

Mumbai: The next time you book a cab on Ola, Uber or Rapido, don’t be surprised if the fare you are asked to pay at the end of your trip doesn’t match the one displayed on the app.

The app-based aggregator taxi drivers said they will also work out the base fares that they will charge passengers, irrespective of the fares displayed on the app.(Representational Image)

Five days after the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) revised the fares of Ola, Rapido and Uber to match those of Cool Cabs, driver unions of these ride-hailing platforms have claimed that the companies haven’t updated their apps yet to reflect the changes. As a result, they have decided to implement the changes on their own with their own calculations based on the revised fares at the end of the trip.

In addition to implementing the Cool Cab fare of ₹22.72 per kilometre, the app-based aggregator taxi drivers said they will also work out the base fares that they will charge passengers, irrespective of the fares displayed on the app.

“We have decided to charge base fares of ₹28 (for basic hatchbacks), ₹31 (for sedans), and ₹34 (for premium cars),” said Keshav Kshirsagar, president, Bhartiya Gig Kamgar Manch. “The aggregators have not made the necessary changes in the apps despite the notification from the state government. We have asked the drivers to ask for revised fares without arguing. How long should we drivers suffer because the companies are not following directives?”

The driver unions said they will refer to the fare chart issued to Cool Cabs earlier this year, effective February 1. One of the drivers, R Tripathi, said that they will request passengers to pay the revised fares, but agreed that it would be difficult to enforce it as it does not reflect on the aggregator apps. Sources in the Regional Transport Office (RTO) said that, ideally, the companies should have made the necessary changes in the app.

Last Thursday, the state transport department fixed the fares for app-based cabs at ₹22.72 per kilometre, up from ₹12, bringing them on par with Cool Cabs. The state government had made it clear that these fares would be in place until the Maharashtra Aggregator Policy, 2025, is implemented.

As per the new rules notified by MMRTA, aggregators will be allowed to raise fares by up to 1.5 times during peak demand, instead of charging ₹40-45 per km like earlier. During off-peak hours, the platforms can offer discounts up to 25%, but cannot slash rates to ₹6-8 per km. Drivers must receive 80% of the fare amount, with the companies retaining the remaining 20%, which otherwise touched 35% as well, claimed the driver unions.

The unions alleged that no changes have been made despite a meeting on September 16, when Ola, Uber, and Rapido were directed to adopt the new rates by September 23. The Maharashtra Aggregator Policy, 2025, is in its finalisation stage and is expected to set out comprehensive rules on fares, commission sharing, and licensing for app-based operators.