Commuting in Ola, Uber and other taxis operated by mobile app aggregators will be more expensive. On Thursday, the Transport Department issued a notification revising fares applicable to aggregators with immediate effect. The revision comes two days after a KSTDC driver set himself ablaze inside his taxi at Kempegowda International Airport on Tuesday.
Fares have been fixed in four categories depending on the type and cost of the vehicle. To travel in ‘D’ category taxis where the cost of the vehicle is up to ₹5 lakh, a passenger has to pay ₹75 for the first four kilometres. The aggregator can charge anywhere between ₹18 and ₹36 for each subsequent kilometre.
For vehicles in the ₹5-₹10 lakh price range, or the ‘C’ category, the basic fare for the first four km is ₹100, and thereafter between ₹21 and ₹42 per km.
ADVERTISEMENT
The next slab is ‘B’ category vehicles priced between ₹10 lakh and ₹16 lakh. The basic fare here is ₹120 for the first four km, following which ₹24 and ₹48 can be charged for each subsequent km by the aggregator.
For ‘A’ category of vehicle that cost above ₹16 lakh, the basic fare (4 km) will be ₹150, after which the aggregator can charge anywhere between ₹27 and ₹54 per km.
In addition to the fare, aggregators can collect GST and toll from passengers.
ADVERTISEMENT
The department has directed aggregators to charge fares fixed by the department on a kilometre basis and barred them from collecting fares based on time – indicating peak and non-peak hours.
The notification further stated that aggregators cannot collect unauthorised fares from passengers. There is no waiting charge for the first 20 minutes, and thereafter drivers can charge customers ₹10 for every 15 minutes. The revised rate is applicable not just in Bengaluru but also in other cities where aggregators are providing these services.
Fares of Ola, Uber and other aggregators were last revised in March 2018.
At that time, the department had fixed the basic fare in the ₹44-₹80 range for the first four km depending on type of vehicle. The minimum fare was ₹11-₹20 and the maximum fare was set in the ₹22-45 range.
Now, the basic fare is in the ₹75-₹150 range for the first four km. The minimum fare for subsequent km is in the ₹18-₹27 range, and the maximum fare is in the ₹36-54 range.
The department cited increase in fuel prices, maintenance and operational cost as well as other factors for increasing taxi fares.