[TusharK]

According to a media report, the Karnataka Transport Department has directed Uber and Ola to withdraw car pooling services and remove the feature from the mobile application immediately.



The Transport Commissioner has reportedly warned of action against Uber and Ola if they continue to offer car pooling services. While there are no provisions for such services under the present law, the government would decide if cab aggregators should be allowed to offer this feature.

Reports suggest that drivers have welcomed the ban on car pooling. However, it is expected to affect passengers who were using such services regularly as they are said to be cheaper than regular cab rides.

Source: Economic Times

Link to Team-BHP News

[ValarMorghulis]

Huh? Why?
For a country that emphasizes Go-Green everywhere, carpooling is a good thing! Even organizations encourage car-pooling.

Mind numbing stuff, really, this decision for a ban.

[2000rpm]

Karnataka government does lead in implementing brainless ideas! :P

A tactical ban on OLX just prior to elections was a very suspicious move, now this one.

I personally hate the feature though. Most in-efficient way to travel.

[Asish_VK]

What a stupid move . I am a frequent user of share service of both Ola and Uber . If you are not in a hurry or at times you are not getting cabs (individually) due to demand, used to get share cabs always.
Even I used to book 2+2 seats on share from 2 mobile phones to get same car (If I am travelling with family and finding difficult to get individual cabs).

I also heard that Karnataka govt was targeting 'Quick Ride' , a car/bike pooling app based service. I heard stories like, officers from motor vehicle department or traffic police booking rides through the app and entering the car to charge fine to the driver

Its baffling to see this kind of attitude towards services that actually is helpful for the people and environment

[libranof1987]

The drivers must be rejoicing; I've not met one Uber/Ola driver who was happy about the ride-sharing option. They've all cringed about it: be it the lower earnings, or the fuel/time spent in picking up co-riding passengers.

I've used it a couple of times and found it very inefficient as well. I think their algorithm is flawed here; I've had a good experience with it in the US. From an "green" perspective, it was a good thing.

Why the State Govt. had to intervene - no idea. Political angle maybe?

[srishiva]

Is there some rule that was broken by doing so ? I have never used it but I am all for changing rules before things are done.

I dont see a valid reason for people to complain about every move the govt makes. People might argue that unrelated people are being grouped if something wrong would happen. Its not a bus kind of pooling or transport.

[avanishphatak]

Originally Posted by srishiva

Is there some rule that was broken by doing so ? I have never used it but I am all for changing rules before things are done.

Yes Apparently. Only BMTC has the licence for contract carriage, i.e picking up people from multiple points. A taxi has licence to only pickup people from Point A to B and no intermediate pickup. Archaic it may seem. While the Transport dept maybe right according the books following the law. The Govt should act quick to fix the problems at hand instead of bringing in mindless 'law of the land'.

In 2019, relying on a law which was passed when Bangalore had zero congestion is stupid. All laws may need to have an expiry date. Imagine the licence one needed to have a Radio and TV at home.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

The drivers must be rejoicing; I've not met one Uber/Ola driver who was happy about the ride-sharing option. They've all cringed about it: be it the lower earnings, or the fuel/time spent in picking up co-riding passengers.

I've used it a couple of times and found it very inefficient as well. I think their algorithm is flawed here; I've had a good experience with it in the US. From an "green" perspective, it was a good thing.

Why the State Govt. had to intervene - no idea. Political angle maybe?

Agree with the flawed algorithm. A month ago,i had to spend 1.5 hours on road picking up 2 other pool/share riders who were at certain detour from my route and drop them first even though i was the one who hopped in first and finally reach my destination.The direct route would have been completed in 20 mins or max 30 mins with traffic. All for a saving of 40 bucks. That was the last time i used pool/share and decided never to use it again!

[LoneRidder]

Originally Posted by TusharK

According to a media report, the Karnataka Transport Department has directed Uber and Ola to withdraw car pooling services and remove the feature from the mobile application immediately.

The Transport Department Officials need a serious brain wash, I have a spare front load!

Bangalore is the place for inefficient and incompetent officials. The land of father of Indian engineering needs a quick overhaul.

- Couple of months back Ola banned, thankfully it was election season, things changed.
- Government approves Metro from KR Puram to Silk Board, after few months without noise tender is cancelled.
- Government plans for signal free corridor from CBD to Whitefield, now they have planned elevated corridor on the same route.
- BBMP approves and clears the work done by a company JMC, and when it emerges as a lowest winner for next tender for a 1000 crore project, same team says they had given fake bills just to support the next bidder.
- Finally Metro is coming across the city, and irony, except couple of them, none of the metro station have parking.
- Design of flyover, lets not talk about it.
- And finally Deputy CM says, Government plans to stop apartment construction for 5 years, real estate has a big laugh, the piles of unsold apartments goes of in a jiffy!

Welcome to Namma Bengalure!

[ajayclicks]

Originally Posted by avanishphatak

Yes Apparently. Only BMTC has the licence for contract carriage, i.e picking up people from multiple points.

And right under the nose of traffic cops, countless private buses stop and pick up passengers (and cause jams) day in and day out. Encounter dozens of them in my drive from JP Nagar to Ecospace.

[GeeTee TSI]

It might have had at least an iota of logic, had the ban been centered around safety or pollution. But the authorities have unashamedly quoted an archaic law out of touch with the digital, connected world and successful shut down a thriving mode of commute. If something is banned, then at the very same time an equivalent alternative is also to be made available.

If they were half as competent, Transport Department would have had a working website and mobile application at least

[sreeharipv]

I mean why don't they enforce laws that actually are good for the society for a change? Why are they not so much worried about wrong side driving, or overloading or over polluting?

[DigitalOne]

I was on an Uber Pool ride when I read this news. Got chatting with the driver about it and he was very supportive of this ban. His views on the subject:

Pool/Share rides are not remunerative for the driver. They are paid for the distance covered and not on the income generated in a single trip. For example, for my ride that day (from Infantry road to BTM Layout), there were three riders (incl me). Mine was the highest amount at Rs. 130. The other two riders totaled up to Rs. 120. So total for this trip was rs 250.
As per the driver, in a pool ride Uber doesn't take the usual 20% (rs 50) commission but pays a fixed rs 11-12 per km. (In this trip of 11km, the driver would make rs 120-130). And Uber takes the rest. This is like a cost+ model. More riders mean more profit for Uber. The driver has a margin but is too low. Also when the driver compares it to what Uber is making ("sitting in an office and doing nothing" in his words), there is a frustration amongst drivers.

I and my wife use Pool a lot. It makes a lot of sense for our trips unless it it to catch a train or bus. I will simply start using my car more if this ban is enforced. (With my own example, I tried convincing the driver why this ban is not in their long term interest, but emotions are emotions :-) ).

Another relevant point. He was driving an Etios, the running cost of which would definitely be more than a hatchback. To minimize the costs, Uber/Ola should get back to the drawing board along with the manufacturers (M&M/Hyundai etc are anyway invested in these companies and willing to partner), build a bare-bones, stripped down hatchback, with minimal running costs, sell/lease it for 6-7 lakhs directly to the drivers (no dealer margin). That would make the drivers also happy. May take 6 months to an year but definitely doable.

[Turrrb0]

Originally Posted by sreeharipv

I mean why don't they enforce laws that actually are good for the society for a change? Why are they not so much worried about wrong side driving, or overloading or over polluting?

Because there is no union or lobby group in those cases..
I firmly believe some union must be behind pushing for this ban.

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

build a bare-bones, stripped down hatchback, with minimal running costs, sell/lease it for 6-7 lakhs directly to the drivers (no dealer margin). That would make the drivers also happy. May take 6 months to an year but definitely doable.

Maruti has the Tour H1 and H2 for precisely this reason.

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

Also when the driver compares it to what Uber is making ("sitting in an office and doing nothing" in his words), there is a frustration amongst drivers.

What were these cab drivers doing before Uber-Ola came along?
Do they think they will get any bookings (even on their own independently) if the Uber-Ola platform suddenly fails?

Originally Posted by Turrrb0

Because there is no union or lobby group in those cases..
I firmly believe some union must be behind pushing for this ban.

I think it is the Auto-rickshaw unions that may have vested interest.


Overall I think instead of banning the pool-service there should be provisions made under law to define the legality. Uber / Ola and the driver are earning based on commercial vehicle registration. It is not like Bla-bla car where the vehicles were private and it was a clear case of financially illegal operations.