Negotiating fares with auto rickshaw drivers may be a hassle, right? It's irritating, exhausting, and can feel like an endless battle. However, when ride-sharing applications such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido emerged, their fixed-price feature was a breath of fresh air. Suddenly, the headache was eliminated, and you knew exactly what you were paying.
However, Ola recently threw a curveball, eliminating this convenience. Yes, you heard that correctly! In an unexpected move, Ola has altered its terms and conditions for auto rides.
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Instead of showing a fixed fare, they now offer a fare range, allowing you and the driver to negotiate a price.
For example, if you're travelling from point A to point B, the app may now display a price range of Rs. 130-200, and you'll have to bargain with the driver to determine the ultimate rate. This adjustment became effective on March 1.
One dissatisfied user resorted to 'X' to express his displeasure, posting a screenshot of the revised fare range. The Bengaluru-based user wrote, "Now @Olacabs wants its users to negotiate the final amount with the drivers once the ride is complete." This triggered a spirited online debate.
"This is such a useless feature because you and I know that auto drivers are gonna ask for the max amt (even worse in cities like Chennai where auto drivers are entitled to an extra 50/100)," a user wrote.
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Another stated, "There is no negotiation, drivers demand the upper band amount and you will fork it out." A third customer reiterated these concerns, saying, "There is no negotiation; one must pay the high-end price."
Furthermore, payment is solely in cash. Worst feature; I've ceased using Ola for the past three weeks due to this."
What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments.