This state wants Uber, Ola drivers to pay fine to customers if they cancel ride: Report

Uber and Ola drivers may soon find it costly to cancel rides if the Maharashtra government approves a new proposal that suggests ride-hailing companies like Uber and Ola should impose fines on drivers who frequently cancel rides booked by users. The proposal also asked for the fine amount to be given to the customers as a discount for their next ride since this behavior often leaves passengers in challenging and inconvenient situations.

Drivers of app-based aggregators cancelling rides abruptly have been a major problem for customers and based on these complaints, the transport department committee has recommended that passengers should be compensated for time spent waiting for the cabs, Hindustan Times reported.

“There is a recommendation that a driver pays Rs 50-75 as a fine against every cancellation, and the rebate will be given to the affected passenger,” an official from the transport department told the publication. “These (recommendations) will come into effect only when the government accepts them.”

The proposal added that taxi cabs should reach the pickup spot within 20 minutes and a fine should be levied on them if they take longer. Currently, the waiting time for aggregator cabs such as Ola and Uber has risen by at least 6-10 minutes during peak hours.