Business
Uber and Ola suspended surge pricing on Monday evening after the Delhi government warned of stern action against the taxi companies.
Updated : Mar 21, 2018, 05:55 AM IST
App-based taxi services like Uber and Ola suspended their surge price practice temporarily on Monday after the Arvind Kejriwal-led government warned of strict action against the cab companies for flouting fare norms.
However, Uber has said that despite surge pricing, a move it defends as a practice to ensure prompt service, its rides were more affordable than radio taxis and even government prescribed rates.
#UberDATA: Average surge multiplier was under 2x. Even with surge, Uber was more affordable than Radio Taxi & Govt. prescribed rates.
— Uber India (@Uber_India) April 18, 2016
Under the surge price practice, cab companies like Uber and Ola charge higher fares during peak hours to "get you a ride within minutes, at the push of a button, even on the busiest days," Uber said on Twitter. "Surge pricing makes this possible, almost always," the San Francisco-based company said, describing its goal for customers.
Our goal: Get you a ride within minutes, at a push of a button — even on the busiest days. Surge pricing makes this possible, almost always.
— Uber India (@Uber_India) April 18, 2016
Reacting to the Delhi government's clampdown on the surge pricing practice during the ongoing second leg of the odd-even scheme in New Delhi, Uber took to Twitter, describing its stand in a series of tweets, even as the company went on to suspend the practice later in the evening.
A Delhi court order asked the Delhi government to file a report on the measures it had taken to ensure fare rules were not flouted during the odd-even scheme.
Uber said that in the first three days of the odd-even scheme, only 8% of the cabs were booked on surge pricing.
#UberDATA: In the last 3 days & also during the first ODD-EVEN in January, less than 8% trips happened on surge in Delhi. / @Uber_Delhi
— Uber India (@Uber_India) April 18, 2016
The Delhi court sought impounding Uber and Ola's vehicles if they were found charging a higher fare than otherwise advertised. Uber said that the nearly all of the fare, surge or not, goes to its driver partners only.
Almost all of the fare, surge or not, goes to the driver partners, who are also part of the city and are trying to make an honest living.
— Uber India (@Uber_India) April 18, 2016
The company also said that its technology uses assets in a way that would bring fares down overtime.
#UberDATA: Our tech better utilises assets thereby bringing down fares over time, making the service more affordable pic.twitter.com/jemab9z3I1
— Uber India (@Uber_India) April 18, 2016