Bengaluru woman abused by Ola Auto driver over fare, says got no help from company

A routine Ola Auto ride turned into a distressing ordeal for Tanisha Mallya, who allegedly faced harassment and verbal abuse from the driver over a fare disagreement in Bengaluru. Mallya shared her experience in a series of tweets, pressing for the urgent need for better customer support and clearer fare systems from Ola.

Mallya booked an Ola Auto for a 25km journey, with the app showing a fare range of Rs 347-356. However, upon reaching her destination, the driver demanded Rs 470, claiming to have driven over 45km. Despite both the driver and Mallya's apps displaying the initial fare, the driver insisted on the higher amount, alleging that Ola’s pricing was too low.

"When I stood my ground about paying him Rs 356 which the app clearly showed on both his and my phone, he started shouting at me to pay him the amount he was asking for because ‘Ola shouldn’t show such a low price’,” Mallya tweeted.

The situation escalated when Mallya refused to comply. The driver exited the vehicle, used abusive language, and threatened to take her back to the pickup point unless she paid Rs 470. After a heated exchange, Mallya paid the correct fare (Rs 356) and tried to enter her apartment, but the driver continued to create a scene, hurling more abusive words.

Mallya's father intervened, but the driver persisted, accusing her of lying. Despite attempting to contact Ola's customer support, Mallya received no assistance. "This is a deeply shocking situation and I have not been able to get any support from @Olacabs so far, not even a chance to speak to their customer care," she wrote.
Mallya later discovered that Ola had implemented a new fare system based on meter trends, causing fare discrepancies. She expressed concern over the lack of clarity and the potential danger for other passengers, particularly women who might not speak Kannada or live alone.