An unusual online battle is brewing between the Ola, TaxiForSure and Uber Drivers’ Association and the cab-aggregators in Karnataka.
The association members started an online poll “Say No To OlaShare and UberPool” on Friday after the RTO seized several vehicles operating the car pool service.
The poll, which was started on Friday, has already garnered 449 votes in its favour.
“The Ola and Uber representatives had agreed with the Transport Commissioners orders to stop the Share and Pool services on Monday. The Commissioner had given them time till Friday to stop the services. However, the companies continued with the service. Now the drivers’ vehicles are being seized. The drivers are the ones facing the brunt because of the companies’ decision to go against the order. So, we have started a poll to stop the service,” said Tanveer Pasha, President of the Ola, TaxiForSure and Uber Drivers’ Association.
“Over 25 vehicles have been seized by the RTO in just a few hours,” Pasha added.
Transport Commissioner, MK Aiyappa had warned that the RTO would begin a crackdown if the Share and Pool services continued.
The drivers’ poll calling for the ban on the share taxi service comes just a day after Uber had floated a public petition titled “Bengaluru Needs Pool”, to gather support for ride-sharing.
According to the Transport Department, Ola and Uber have permits that do not allow them pick up and drop options at multiple points in the same ride. Such a permit only allows for point-to-point pick-ups and drops.
“The law permits a contract carriage permit-holder to stop to pick up or set down passengers who are included in the contractual understanding with the driver. UberPOOL fulfils this requirement and we believe that it does not violate the contract carriage permit,” Uber had said in a statement.
The transport authorities had forced the shuttle service ZipGo to stop its operations in Bengaluru on similar grounds in December 2015.
Aiyappa had said that there is no provision in the Karnataka Motor Vehicle Rules of 1989 for services that compete with state-run city buses.
Similarly, bike taxis launched by Ola and Uber were also banned by the Karnataka government. Both companies withdrew the services in March 2016.