Uber autos upset traditional drivers

KOCHI: There is trouble brewing between conventional autorickshaw drivers and recently-launched Uber autorickshaws in the city.The former alleged that a large number of autorickshaws attached with Uber, the online cab aggregator, have started operating in the city, causing a sudden decline in the income of conventional autorickshaw drivers. Though the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has only allowed vehicles carrying the ‘city permit’ to operate within the city, Uber autorickshaws are flouting the rule, they alleged.

“The daily revenue of autorickshaw drivers has come down drastically from an average Rs 1,000 earlier to Rs 200-Rs 300 now. Only vehicles with a city permit can operate here. The Uber-attached three-wheelers don’t have one. Then how can they ply here?” asked Shyama Bhadran, general secretary, Auto Drivers Association (CITU). He alleged the Uber authorities did not initiate talks with trade unions and the MVD before launching the service.

“We are planning to launch a protest against the Uber autorickshaw drivers as our member drivers are in financial trouble,” he said.He said six autorickshaw driver unions had come together to form the Ernakulam Autorickshaw Drivers Co-operative Society to bring all conventional drivers under one umbrella.

“If anyone can start an online service like Uber,  then what is the point of such a society? We will launch mass protests as the drivers are not even from the city. A rule should apply to everyone,” Bhadran said.
Binu Varghese, AITUC district secretary, said, “If online autorickshaws are allowed to ply in the city without a city permit, it will derail the conventional system followed by over 4,000 autorickshaw drivers possessing the permit. Corporate firms are using the drivers only to make more profit.”He said a fate similar to that of Uber’s cab drivers awaited the firm’s autorickshaw drivers.

“The company will reduce the incentives and other benefits provided to autorickshaw drivers after some time,” Varghese said, adding, “Uber alone cannot resolve the public transport issues of the city. A society has been formed to deal with the issue and we are working on a solution.”Uber officials could not be reached for comments.