Ola, Uber Services Remain Off Roads For Second Consecutive Day In Chennai Due To Strike

Drivers of Ola and Uber, two of the major cab aggregators in India, protest against high commission rates imposed by the aggregators, which leaves them with only a small portion of their earnings.

The All India Road Transport Workers Federation and the Tamil Nadu Urimai Kural Driver Trade Union have jointly organized the strike

The ongoing strike by the drivers of Ola and Uber, two of the major cab aggregators in India, has significantly disrupted the daily commute for many citizens, leading to public inconvenience for the second day on Tuesday. The agitators stage protests against high commission rates imposed by the aggregators, which leaves them with only a small portion of their earnings. Additionally, they have demanded to ban bike-taxi services, the regulation of cab aggregator practices, fare increases, and more frequent raids.

The All India Road Transport Workers Federation and the Tamil Nadu Urimai Kural Driver Trade Union have jointly organized the strike and subsequent protests, with plans for a sit-in protest on Wednesday. The drivers' union representative, Zahir Hussain, has indicated intentions to lay siege to transport department offices in multiple cities, including Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, and Coimbatore, as part of their ongoing demonstration, as per a report on Indian Express.

The Unions said nearly 80 percent of the ride-hailing platform vehicles will be off the roads on Tuesday.

An Uber driver who has been working with the company for four years, talking to the Economic Times said, the company was charging 30-35% commission rate thereby leaving them with a small amount. 

The strike's continuation indicates the severity of the issues faced by the drivers, emphasizing the urgent need for a resolution that addresses their concerns while ensuring the smooth functioning of transportation services for the public.

Earlier, some commuters in Chennai have begun to favor bike taxis over traditional cabs due to the comparatively lower costs.

On October 22 this year, Karnataka banned auto aggregators Rapido, Uber and Ola. They made it illegal. In February 2023, the operation of bike taxis came to a halt in Delhi under the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988.