Mumbai-Pune expressway
Pune: A 43-year-old Pimple Saudagar resident turned cabby for himself on Friday evening, after the Uber driver ferrying him from Mumbai airport to Pune repeatedly appeared to doze off at the wheel, raising fears of an accident on the Mumbai-Pune expressway.
In a reply to Malpani on X, Uber said the incident was concerning, described such behaviour as unacceptable and reiterating that passenger safety was its priority. Malpani said the company was in touch with him over the matter. This incident shows the stress they are under and how low earnings force them to work continuously,” said Keshav Kshirsagar, president of the Indian Gig Workers Front. He also criticised the transport department for not taking stringent action against the said companies.
The incident has once again highlighted concerns over driver fatigue, working hours and earnings among app-based cabbies. Seated in the back of the SUV, Malpani noticed the driver yawning repeatedly and struggling to stay awake. He also saw him doze off at least twice, prompting fears that the vehicle could meet with an accident. But the incident also threw a fresh spotlight on expectations from gig workers. “There is no fixed duty time for cabbies. He alleged that Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) had repeatedly asked aggregator companies to revise fares in line with govt-approved rates, but they had failed to comply.
Responding to a query from TOI, an Uber spokesperson said, “What’s been described has no place on the Uber platform and violates our code of conduct, which is designed to uphold safety standards for riders and drivers. Based on the rider’s feedback and our investigation, we’ve removed the driver’s access to the Uber app and refunded the rider’s full trip fare as Uber credits. The safety of riders and drivers remains our top priority.”