‘Your Drivers Are Exploiting’: Chennai Entrepreneur Calls Out Rapido For Overcharging Rides – News18

Last Updated:October 31, 2024, 10:49 IST

After the ride, the man tried to escalate his concerns through Rapido customer support services. He said that he lodged a complaint on the app that Rapido ‘simply closed the chat’ without a proper response or solution.

An entrepreneur from Chennai had an unfavourable experience with the bike taxi service provider Rapido concerning overpricing and unsatisfactory treatment. Ashok Raj Rajendran, founder and CEO of AJ Skill Development Academy, shared his experience on LinkedIn on October 30, during which he noticed certain features that were questionable. He was charged Rs 1,000 for a 21-kilometre ride, which was three times the fare that the app quoted of Rs 350. This contradiction angered him and made him consider the authenticity of the pricing strategy utilised by the service.

Rajendran challenged the driver’s assertion that there was water logging and pointed out that conditions were not as such during the time the driver was on the ride. After some negotiations with him, he agreed to pay Rs 800 for it, but he did not like the way things unfolded.

After the ride, Rajendran tried to escalate his concerns through Rapido customer support services. He stated that he sent the app a complaint that Rapido “simply closed the chat” without a proper response or solution.

Taking to LinkedIn, Chennai CEO wrote, “When we reported this issue to Rapido they simply closed the chat without even enquiring about the driver’s actions. Rapido, if you’re not concerned about your drivers asking for extra pay, why have an option asking, “Did the driver ask for extra pay?” Is it just for the sake of appearances? Your drivers are exploiting situations, and you are helping them, you’ll soon face the consequences of this neglect.”

As evident from the screenshots, the company claimed that the additional amount was charged because of the “discrepancy in the drop locations”.

In another post, Rajendran shared that the company contacted him in regard to his complaint indicating that “action” has been initiated against the driver and the fare difference has been refunded.

Soon, social media users took to the comments section to address similar situations.

A person commented, “This has happened to me many times Rapido. And the worst part is that the money that is credited can only be used for booking bikes, not autos. So if you don’t use a bike it goes to waste.”

Another individual added, “What’s the benefit of getting money back in your Rapido wallet when you cannot use it in Cab/Auto booking?”