Surge pricing is the premium charged by cab operators at rush hours when demand is more over supply. But Ola and Uber are taking their clients for a ride by making it mandatory by charging such premium fares at all time because they think people are addicted to their services and can’t do without them. Don’t think the government should interfere in every aspect of business as they have other pressing needs to take care of. Businesses be it fleet operators or others run because they have patrons and people themselves should boycott Ola and Uber services for a few days so that they once again realize that it is their patrons who give them their bread and butter and cheating somebody who is responsible for your survival could mean death for any business.
Surge pricing is difficult to monitor as it is easy to manipulate. Hence, rush hours should be defined in accordance with ‘Time’ which could be when offices open or shut and not at the whims and fancies of fleet operators. The government should have clear cut guidelines and heavy penalties or suspension could be imposed for offenders. Competition is the key for fair pricing and government should issue more licenses so that many new operators jump into the fray to keep pricing reasonable and fair!
S.N.Kabra
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
