Cab strike leaves commuters stranded, confused

Lucknow: The ongoing strike of cab drivers in the city is causing not only problems to commuters but creating confusion too.

Users of the app-based service said, though the

app

confirms booking, it does not provide information related to the driver and cab number. Some complained that

drivers

don't show up on time even after confirmation.

Commuters demanded that the if drivers are on strike and no service is available, the app should at least provide correct information. “If we know in advance that cab will not be available, we would plan things accordingly,” they said.

School teacher Pragati Sen Gupta said, “On feeding information about the destination, the app showed pick and drop locations along with the cab choice and fare but as soon as I booked it, every cab on the map near my location disappeared. No confirmation message was delivered either. I was confused and had to cancel booking. This has been happening for the past three days."

Businessman Mohammad Amir Siddiqui said, “I commute daily from Hazratganj to Dalibagh. Earlier, I was charged Rs 68 but for the past two days, the app shows the fare has been increased to Rs 120. I cancelled the cab twice.”

Rohan, a student, said when he inquired from the driver about why fare had been increased, he was told that there is an acute shortage of cabs in the city. The driver said he came covering a long distance, hence the amount charged was more, said Rohan.

An Indiranagar housewife complained she booked a cab in the night for her guests who had to catch a flight to Delhi next morning. The app confirmed booking but no cab arrived at the scheduled time. When they called the driver, he told them about the strike, leaving them in the lurch. She had to request her neighbour to drop the guest to the airport.

When contacted, a spokesperson of one of the cab service providers said, “We regret the disruption caused to our rider and driver-partner community and it all because of some individuals. We are committed to serving the city and ensuring that our driver-partners continue to make a stable income, while giving riders a convenient, reliable option for commuting.”