Passenger To Get Rebate If Cab Driver Cancels Ride: 6-member Govt Panel

The grievances of the commuters such as delays in cab pick-up or drop and unjustified ride cancellations by the drivers will be addressed soon.

Maharashtra government-appointed committee by the state’s ruling party was set up in April 2023, following several complaints from the citizens. The government will table the recommendations aimed to solve these niggling issues.

The biggest recommendation of all is that the passengers receive a rebate in the price from INR 50 to 75 every time the driver cancels the ride.

On the other hand, a cab driver will only have a maximum of 20 minutes to get to the pickup location before being fined for getting late. Additionally, the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) will have the authority to remove an aggregator taxi from the list if it is determined that the vehicle is not in a condition to be on the road.

The six-member government-appointed committee will be headed by retired bureaucrat Sudhir Kumar Shrivastava, a former transport secretary, and other senior officers from the transport department and RTO, who have formed the draft recommendations, which will be submitted to the state government soon.

A senior government official said, "These suggestions will not go into effect until the government approves them. Every affected traveler will receive the rebate." The committee also sought input from decision-makers from the relevant aggregators as it set up the new rules.

The new draft of rules gives a ray of hope to passengers, as many of them suffer a wait of 10 - 15 minutes during peak hours, and many face ride cancellations from drivers too.

Chairperson of Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, Advocate Shirish Deshpande said, "We will be happy with this decision whenever it is implemented. When a passenger deals with a cab aggregator, the government should let them know the method of payment. The ideal way to handle such a rebate is through the system."

Apart from this, the RTO authorities will possess the power to cancel the vehicle’s permit over its health and general condition. Currently, the aggregator makes the decision when a passenger submits a complaint via the mobile app regarding the overall trip experience, the behavior of the drivers, or the vehicle quality in relation to "star ratings."

Another government official said, "The respective company's action is not in the public domain, so the RTO may be given the authority to take the appropriate action."

The most common complaints of the passengers are:

• Poor quality of vehicles,

• Soiled seats, and

• Squeaky doors.

The government will likely take these recommendations positively.

Shrivastava said, "We will soon submit the report for the state government's approval." The Motor Vehicle Aggregators Recommendations 2020 published by the Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways, which has mandated that all states apply the recommendations, are in keeping with these proposed regulations. Additionally, the committee looked into matters including driver training, background checks, and fare regulation.