You’re ready to head to your friend who lives a few kilometres away. You grab your phone and order an Uber. You wait patiently for your ride to arrive only to look down in frustration and find that the driver has cancelled it.
Countless Capetonians will understand the frustration that comes with ordering an Uber and then being left in the lurch simply because you’re trip isn’t halfway across the country. Well, Uber South Africa has heard your silent cursing.
According to Business Insider, the trend of drivers rejecting shorter trips, especially in Cape Town, has become more apparent towards the end of 2021 as petrol prices steadily increased.
There are a number of reasons drivers abruptly cancel or reject these shorter trips, states Kagiso Khaole, head of mobility operations at Uber Sub-Saharan Africa.
As independent contractors, Uber drivers have the benefit to pick and choose, and many are choosing to focus their energy on longer journeys. Traffic congestion in the Mother City also appears to be playing a significant role, especially when Eskom decides to switch off the lights. Drivers are reportedly looking to avoid shorter trips in built-up areas where robots are likely to be off – a nightmare for anyone who doesn’t have the patience for jam-packed roads.
Soaring interest rates and vehicle maintenance are just a few other factors drivers are contemplating when picking a trip, says Khaole.
As the list continued to grow, many drivers switched off their vehicles and embarked on a strike in March, complaining of high commissions deducted by companies, fuel prices, and exploitation in the industry, reports the online publication.
In an attempt to lower the cancellations and the burden that has come from higher fuel prices, the ride-sharing platform recently increased its base fares between R5 to R15 across all categories. However, driver incentives, training, and monitoring are just a few other ways the platform is attempting to improve the experience of the driver and rider.
Uber has also added a few new features, including booking a trip by the hour which allows users to stop at several stops without requesting a new trip.
This comes after the e-hailing company launched its Premium Hourly trip option in Cape Town.
Also read:
Cape Town Uber users can now book a trip by the hour and make more stops
Picture: Unsplash
