Ahmedabad: Cab and auto commuters are increasingly finding themselves caught between a tussle involving drivers and established ride-hailing platforms, with repeated cancellations, fare disputes and drivers urging passengers to switch to alternative services.The disruption has turned into a consumer inconvenience, particularly for passengers who rely on app-based rides for emergencies, late-night travel and daily office commutes. Several commuters said drivers accepted bookings on Uber, Ola or Rapido before asking them to travel without the app or book through another platform.Shilaj resident Charvi Salil faced the problem during a late-night emergency last week after her car developed a flat tyre. “I booked through Ola, Uber and Rapido, but all three kept me waiting. When I called the drivers, they said there was a strike and asked me to travel without the app or use Bharat Taxi,” she said.Satellite resident Ramanuj Nair said an Uber driver told him that commuters would eventually stop using established platforms. The driver promoted a new service provider, saying drivers could retain more of the fare by avoiding commissions charged by other established platforms.Nair said the driver also claimed that newest app-based ride would provide customers with more consistent fares. “He told me he was accepting Uber rides only to convert customers to Bharat Taxi,” Nair said.For some commuters, the issue has extended beyond cancellations to fare disputes. Vaishnodevi resident Saloni Ashwin, who travels to Bopal daily, said an auto driver accepted her booking before calling to demand a higher fare than the amount displayed on the app.“The app later displayed a disclaimer stating that the fare was only a suggestion and that the final amount would be mutually agreed between the rider and driver. Imagine the monthly cost for people who commute long distances every day,” she said.The disruption is particularly difficult for office-goers dependent on app-based transport. South Bopal resident Jaidev Khatri, who works in IT sector, said his company provides a return cab at night, but he relies on app-based cabs or autos to reach his workplace near Gota.“For the past month, Uber and other standard apps have often failed to provide a ride at the required time,” he said. “I have had to ask friends or colleagues for a drop or use public transport until a ride becomes available.”
