Uber hikes ride fares to support drivers as fuel prices rise, big setback for passengers

Uber India has increased ride fares to support its driver partners amid rising fuel prices.

New Delhi: In what could be another jolt for the common man, Uber India has announced a hike in the fares of the cab hailing service. The company’s Director of Central Operations Nitish Bhushan said on Thursday that the move is taken to cushion drivers from the impact of rising fuel prices across many cities in the country. Uber drivers, on the council, have long been raising the demand for an increase in fares amid the rising fuel costs. "The hike in fuel prices has impacted everyone, especially ridesharing drivers who have felt the pinch of rising fuel costs," Bhushan said.

"We are always striving to make driving with Uber a viable and attractive option for drivers and the recent hike in fares will directly boost their earnings per trip," he said in a blog post.

Meanwhile, the company is also showing trip destinations to drivers before they decide to accept the ride -- a move that will eliminate riders' and drivers’ frustration which leads to trip cancellation in many cases. 

Also, drivers also get to see whether the ride is a cash trip or online payment. But that’s not all as the company has introduced a daily pay process for drivers to make the cash or online decision irrelevant. 

"Drivers at the Uber advisory council meeting told us they would like more flexibility around payments. We are now showing drivers the mode of payment (cash or online) before the trip starts," the company said.

Ube India, however, did not elaborate on the pressing issue of ride cancellations by drivers and surge pricing that has affected the riders in the country, according to a report by IANS. Also Read: Heat wave impacts wheat production: India slashes output estimate by 4.4%

Last week, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) warned ride-hailing platforms to pay heed to the rise in consumer complaints regarding ride cancellations, cancellation charges, random surge pricing, and long waiting times, or else face penal action. Also Read: Chhattisgarh governor's Twitter handle hacked for few hours, hackers post about crypto