Online cab aggregators Ola and Uber have started charging their drivers Rs 300 a week to try and prevent them from using other aggregating platforms, reports Livemint. This charge, which applies regardless of usage, is being attributed to phone, mobile Internet connections and other services provided by the aggregators. According to the report, Ola sent out a message to drivers informing them that it would charge Rs 300 per week for the next 6 months, and Rs 75 per week post 6 months as the Platform Management Fee. Uber charges are similar, although the company provides the drivers an option to use their own phones to avoid having to pay the Rs 300 fee. Ola on the other hand, does not provide this benefit. Both companies seem to be banking on the fact that cab drivers will find it too expensive to pay Rs 600 per week for being a part of both platforms. Interestingly, the same month the charges were introduced, Uber’s driver base in Hyderabad accused the company of being dishonorable with regards to its incentive promises. Allegedly, the per ride incentive had been reduced from Rs 225 to Rs 150 in Hyderabad. A Uber driver also said that Uber had been charging Rs 300 as device charges per week, which were deducted from the driver’s account, whether or not they logged in to the service. This was other than the 20% commission the company charged per ride. Uber’s Mumbai and Pune cars reportedly damaged Last month, Uber…
