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Abuja e-hailing Drivers Set New N450 per Kilometre Rate for Rides, Ignore Uber/Bolt
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Some Abuja drivers on the ride-hailing platforms, Uber and Bolt, have started setting prices of trips with prospective riders offline. The e-drivers do this to get paid higher than the estimated prices on the apps.
Abuja Drivers Hikes Fare Price Due To Fuel Price Increase
According to the drivers, the resolution to institute their price regime comes after the e-hailing app refused to review prices.
Bolt, responding to the drivers’ complaint, said: “Thank you for sharing your concerns about the recent fuel price increase. We understand the impact it has on your earnings.”
“Please know that fares are calculated according to Bolt’s policies, and we continuously review them to ensure fairness for both drivers and riders.”
The Abuja drivers, in response, have resolved to take action and matters into their own hands by including an additional fee to whatever the app companies had stipulated.
They released a circular, which read: “From Saturday, we shall review our price to reflect the reality on the ground. For any short trip, the price shall be 450 nairas per kilometer. For long trips, it shall be 400 nairas per kilometer.”
“Drivers are hereby advised to accept rides and immediately renegotiate them to match the prices on the circular. Otherwise, cancel the trip,” the circular reads.”
Note, per kilometer fare on Uber is currently around 150 naira. This means a 20-kilometre trip will be NGN 3000. However, with the drivers’ new rule, it will be NGN 9,000.
Also Read: New Report on Fuel Price Hike: Uber/Bolt Drivers now Negotiate Prices Off-app
New Fare Prices To Reflect The New Reality In Nigeria
The circular also noted that the new rule would go on for the next two weeks as they believe this will make the riders adjust to the new prices that better reflect the reality on the ground. Some drivers have implemented their prices and are adamant about not following the prices stipulated on the e-hailing apps.
A driver told Nairametrics, “For now, I give riders my price, if the trip is showing N7,00 on the app and the distance is let’s say from Ajah to Lekki Phase 1, I charge N9,000 or N10,000. Anyone following the price on the app at this time is just working for the ride-hailing companies because he will not gain anything after deducting fuel money and commission.”
Drivers in Abuja were also asked to print the circular and paste it in their vehicles so that passengers could see and understand it was no longer business as usual.
Uber recently increased rates for trips by 13 percent but drivers believe the new increase is not in tandem with the realities of up to 40 percent increase in fuel prices.
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