Like most workers in the unorganised sector, cab drivers in Bengaluru have been left to fend for themselves during the lockdown, with no government aid. Business has been down since mid-March, and their livelihoods have been paralysed due to the lockdown. Auto and taxi drivers have been left to survive on their savings, and the lack of an economic package targeted at this sector both by the state and central government has left many of them exposed to dire living conditions.
Many cab drivers who work for app-based services like Ola and Uber have not got any relief from the government or the cab aggregator majors. To protest the government apathy and lack of help by the companies, the drivers had held a symbolic protest last week by posting photographs of them holding empty plates.
Speaking with TNM, Tanveer Pasha, president of Ola Uber Drivers and Owners’ Association, said various deliberations on attracting the government’s attention have failed. “We drivers have not got any support from the government, nor the Ola, Uber companies. Only around 2000-3000 drivers have received groceries of a total of around 4 kilos from Ola. The groceries were not enough to last even 4-5 days,” he said.
Who has received the driver care funds?
“The companies had publicly said that they will raise funds and give it to us. But we don’t know what has been happening after that. We have heard that these companies have raised around Rs 25 crore – and around 1,000 drivers have got Rs 750 each. Uber had said they will pay Rs 3,000 in installments of Rs 500 every week, but we haven’t received this,” he said.
Both Ola and Uber are crowdfunding driver care funds, but both companies are yet to give any clarity on how many drivers have been given these funds, and how much each of them has received.
“But many of the drivers who have worked on both the apps have not got any of those benefits. We don’t know on what basis they are choosing the beneficiaries, and what exactly is the number,” Tanveer added.
Drivers on both apps are not “employees” but gig economy workers, and do not receive employment benefits.
Narayan Swamy, who is the president of Adarsh Auto Driver Union, said, “Nobody from our union has got any government benefit. So far, I have got a ration kit from the Infosys Foundation as one of my friends’ wife knew they were giving them out to needy people. Other than that we have not got any help from the government or any other agencies.”
Swamy added, “Many of my friends who drive auto on Ola and Uber have not got any help either from the companies.”
Altaf, an auto driver, also said he has not got any help either from the government or from the app-based company that he frequently operates on.
“Since the beginning of the lockdown till now, I have not got a single rupee or grain, either from the government or the companies. I had tried calling the helplines of both the companies but have not got any help. I have small children at home and we are forced to eat food prepared by social workers,” he said.
However, both Ola and Uber said that they have helped, monetarily or otherwise, impacted drivers, and shared some driver testimonials. Their detailed statements are carried below. Ola said any cab or auto driver who is in need of medical assistance can call their helpline 08046831460.
Pasha said that he had also contacted automobile majors like Maruti and Toyota for help, too, as most of the cabs are manufactured by them. “Only Bajaj had acknowledged our problem. We are yet to hear from them further.”
Similarly, Hamid Akbar Ali from the Airport Taxi Association said, “We have been trying to reach the Transport Minister for a long time. We have tried to reach the CM’s office and have given our memorandum. Day before we met Siddaramaiah, Leader of Opposition, he assured us that he will take up our issue with the CM. Business has been zero since March last week, we are forced to borrow from friends and relatives to survive.”
He said the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation arranged ration for some 500 drivers which lasted for more than two weeks
Ola and Uber statements
Anand Subramanian, Spokesperson and Head of Communications at Ola said, “Drivers and their families across the country are facing a lot of distress due to the extended lockdowns to arrest the contagion of COVID-19. Ola has fully waived off the lease rentals, akin to an EMI, for driver partners who operate vehicles owned by Ola’s subsidiary, Ola Fleet Technologies under its leasing program as well as offered a pre-approved interest-free credit of upto Rs 1200 per week under ‘Sahyog’ program to help manage their household expenses during this time. Through a tailored insurance offering, all eligible Ola driver-partners and their spouses shall be covered by a floater sum of Rs. 30,000 under which they can receive a compensation of Rs 1000 per day for a maximum of 21 days for an individual from the date of a positive diagnosis for COVID-19.”
He added, “To ensure our partner’s physical and mental well-being, we have partnered with MFine app, through which they can access free online doctor consultations. Any case of a medical emergency in the family during these times of limited income can be a huge financial strain on them. The Ola Foundation's Drive the Driver Fund aims to help any cab, auto or taxi driver across India and their immediate family member with financial support. We have received tens of thousands of requests from across the country. Our teams are working round the clock to provide support to thousands of driver-partners across the country who have reached out over the past few weeks. The Ola Foundation will continue to extend the support through this initiative, to drivers across the country, as we come out of this phase stronger together.”
An Uber spokesperson said, “Driver partners are at the heart of everything we do and their wellbeing is Uber’s key priority. To help them during the Coivd-19 pandemic, we created the Uber Care Driver Fund, with an initial commitment of Rs 25 crore from Uber. For greater impact, we welcomed contributions from our employees, citizens, NGOs and corporate partners to the fund. Over the last two weeks, we have disbursed grants to more than 75,000 drivers. As Uber raises additional money, we’ll continue to distribute grants to as many drivers as we can, as quickly as possible. Uber’s financial package has been warmly acknowledged by thousands of drivers. It is in addition to other livelihood opportunities being created for them through tens of thousands of free rides that are being offered to various state governments, and for services provided on UberMedic, UberEssentials and last mile deliveries. Other forms of our support to drivers during these challenging times include a waiver of lease rentals, facilitating EMI relief, rolling out an additional insurance policy and offering drivers access to online medical services, such as DocsApp, at no charge.”