Fuel prices high, Uber and Bolt's fares low – Oliver alleges, asks drivers to go on strike

#FixTheCountry movement convener, Oliver Barker-Vormawor has called out ride-hailing companies, Uber and Bolt for allegedly failing to increase fares despite the incessant hikes in fuel prices, making it difficult for their drivers to survive.

He took to his Facebook page on Thursday, November 3, 2022, to register his displeasure about the alleged “unfair” treatment that the ride-hailing companies are subjecting drivers to.

“I think Uber and Bolt drivers have to go on strike for one day.

“Uber and Bolt are not being fair to the drivers. Fuel is up but fares are low. They have to eat too,” he wrote.

It has become clear that unlike in the past when the ride-hailing business was booming and almost collapsed that of local taxi drivers, the table has turned.

For some time now, online drivers have been lamenting low fairs and high commissions that they are compelled to pay to the ride-hailing companies, making it difficult to break even.

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While a local taxi driver has the discretion to charge a passenger how much he deems fit for a given trip, taking into consideration other factors aside from the distance, such as the nature of the road, goods the passenger is carrying and so on, the online driver doesn’t have that power – the app determines what the rider pays, and that leaves the driver disadvantaged most times.

“Can you imagine that I picked somebody from Gbawoe in Accra to Dodowa and the fare was just GHC54 but if it was a taxi, the driver might charge between GHC150 and GHC200. Now taxi drivers are making more money than us,” Emmanuel, a Bolt driver said in an interview with pulse.com.gh.

Currently, commercial bus and taxi fares have gone up following increases in fuel prices in the past days, but it appears the ride-hailing apps have not adjusted their fares yet to reflect the current fuel prices.

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