BENGALURU: Even after an amendment to the Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on December 15, stating that voluntary tipping be shown only after trip completion and not before or during the trip, ride-hailing apps continue to display advance tipping options, raising concerns over passenger exploitation.
The amendment states, “The app may provide a feature for passengers to give a voluntary tip to the driver, however, such a feature shall only be visible after completion of the journey, and should not be available at the time of booking, before commencement of the journey or during the journey.”
Speaking to TNIE, passengers voiced growing frustration over what they describe as exploitation through the “ advance tipping” feature on ride-hailing apps.
Prithvi Daniel, a regular app-based auto commuter, said the pressure to pay extra begins almost instantly after booking. “I am already being charged more than what the trip should actually cost, but within seconds of trying to book a ride, the app prompts me to add an additional amount or offer more to the driver,” he said. “What is more frustrating is that when I don’t get a ride at the base fare, the moment I add a tip, I’m instantly assigned one.”
Daniel, who travels frequently from Kalkere to Queen’s Road, said the fare is usually shown at Rs 250 to Rs 270 in the afternoon. “Even before accepting the ride, the app asks me to add Rs 20, Rs 30 or more. There have been several occasions when I have waited for 10 to 15 minutes without a response. The moment I added a Rs 40 tip, the ride was accepted within seconds,” he said.
According to him, the pattern is consistent. “Day after day, it seems the algorithm is designed to make sure bookings don’t go through without added tips,” he said, calling the experience “lawless and arbitrary”.
Another commuter, Radha, echoed similar concerns, particularly during peak hours. “Every morning, booking a cab or auto has become a gamble,” she said. “If I don’t add a tip, I can wait 25-30 minutes without getting a ride. The moment I add a tip – especially a higher one – the chances of getting a ride improve. I understand peak-hour demand, but this feels like I’m starting my day by gambling with both my time and money,” she added.