KOCHI: The fuel prices have touched new heights. As of Wednesday, the prices of petrol and diesel reached Rs 82.7 and Rs 76.6, respectively. With the fuel prices increasing steadily every day, the taxi drivers and autorickshaw are finding it difficult to cope with the change, especially in the event of the aftermath of the flood.
“The minimum charge for a trip booked online is Rs 35. Rs 7 is charged for each additional kilometre,” said Jackson, president of the Kerala Online Drivers’ Union. “Though the online services such as Uber and Ola had offered to increase the charge with the increase in fuel prices, it is not a fixed charge. And, it is way less than the price charged by other taxis.”
According to him, it was in September 2014 that the previous taxi fare revision took place in the state. At the time, it was decided to revise the fare of taxis of 1200 CC and below as Rs 150 per 5 km and Rs 12 for each extra kilometre covered. For taxis above 1200 CC, the fare was revised as Rs 180 per 5 km and Rs 15 for the extra kilometres covered. This was for local and independent taxis.
“At the time, the price of diesel was Rs 40 per litre,” said Jackson. “Since then, the prices have increased by 90 per cent. Also, the price of spare parts has increased by 45 per cent. Insurance premium has also increased by 40 per cent. Apart from this, labour charges have increased by 20 per cent. If this is the case with local taxis, you can imagine the case of online taxis.”
To make things better for them, the taxi fare revision committee will meet on September 15 at the Government Guest House in Marine Drive. “We got into this business seeing the attractive incentives and payment packages the online taxi services offered,” said Jackson. “The companies have stopped giving all this and it has become very difficult to get by. Especially with the increasing fuel prices, we want the online taxi services to be brought under charges fixed by the government. We’ll be asking the committee to review this.”