Hyderabad: The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) on Monday, April 8, announced a ‘No AC Campaign’ due to declining per kilometre fares under offer by major cab aggregators like Uber, Ola and Rapido.
“@TGPWU announces No AC Campaign. We, drivers working with #Uber, #Ola and #Rapido apps are unable to turn on the AC in our cabs due to declining per-kilometre fares. The cost of running our cabs with AC is rupees 16-18 per kilometre,” the organisation said in a post on X.
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The gig workers body said that after accounting for commissions charged by Uber, Ola and Rapido, the drivers are able to earn only rupees 10-12 per km.
“All our customers on this matter. If they require the AC to be switched on during rides, we request them to kindly offer us a tip to help us adequately meet the costs. We, drivers working with Uber, Ola and Rapido apps are unable to turn on the AC in our cabs due to declining per-kilometre fares. With temperatures in Hyderabad soaring up to 43 degrees Celsius, turning on the AC means that the costs for fuel and maintenance rise.” it added.
Sharing screenshots of fares being offered by aggregators, TGPWU said that, bike taxis and autos currently are receiving higher fares than cabs.
“How is the algorithm calculating these fares? How is the algorithm unable to take into account the actual costs of running cabs on the streets in this heat? How can the cost of running a cab be lower than the cost of running bike taxis and autos—both of which do not have ACs? We request cooperation from all our customers on this matter. If they require the AC to be switched on during rides, we request them to kindly offer us a tip to help us adequately meet the costs,” the gig workers’ body said.
TGPWU also requested the Telangana government to urgently implement uniform fares per kilometre for all taxis attached to platform companies.
“We further urge the Telangana government to ensure that the platform companies comply with government-directed regulations. Inconvenience to our customers and ourselves as drivers is not our intention. However, as our requests to the Telangana government and to platform companies are repeatedly going unheard and we are left with little choice but to launch this No AC Campaign. If our demands are not urgently addressed, TGPWU, in collaboration with trade unions in other states, will be forced to launch a nationwide campaign for the same,” the body warned.
