Drivers associated with Ola and Uber are now considering launching their own cab hailing app in Bangalore, reports The Times of India. The publication added that more than 8,000 drivers part of the initiative which has received political backing from Janata Dal (secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy. Tanveer Pasha, president of Uber, TaxiForSure and Ola Drivers and Owners Association, told the Times of India that the app will be ready in a month after making a formal announcement. The report added that Kumaraswamy would help the drivers meet software engineers for technical assistance and extend monetary support as well. Pasha added that the drivers sought to an end to surge pricing among other things and that nearly 50% of drivers have not logged into their devices. Note that two of Mumbai’s taxi unions (the Mumbai Taxi Association & Mumbai Taximen’s Union) said that they would launch an app through which users can book black and yellow cabs back in January 2016. But it looks like the app was discontinued in October 2016 due to lack of response from the commuters as well as cabbies themselves. Drivers in Bangalore extended their protests in Bangalore over falling earnings, increased commissions charged by Ola and Uber, and increased hours of working. There were similar protests in Delhi and Hyderabad over the last few months. Last month, the News Minute reported that an Uber driver in Hyderabad committed suicide in Hyderabad as he was unable to pay EMIs on his vehicle. Praveen Kumar consumed poison after…
