Bengaluru: When it rains, cabs disappear from roads

BENGALURU: Commuters dread the monsoon. One heavy shower and there is not a single cab to be found. As a massive downpour starts across the city, all taxis on the streets mysteriously disappear and all app-based aggregators stop responding. This has been happening for the last few days. While the rain pours down,  drenched and desperate  commuters have been trying to book cabs that  are not available. Where do they disappear?

Cab aggregators say since the transport department has banned surge pricing, the drivers are not willing to drive in rain and traffic jams for a normal fare. Commuters  retort with the comment that  these drivers switch off the GPS to charge any amount according to their whims and fancies.

Sunita K and Roshna P wanted  to head home after shopping at Koramangala on Wednesday when they got stuck in heavy rain. For half-an-hour they tried booking a cab but without success. Finally, a cab came in sight and the driver agreed to take them to Indiranagar for '350.  A miffed Sunita says, "When the transport department asked them to go solo, they refused, but now that it is raining, they are happy to ferry passengers on their own, charging even higher rates than the surge pricing."

A driver said, “Nobody wants to drive in the flood water. Whatever fare we get, we have to give 25% to them. After driving tirelessly, if we are left with 75 percent of the fare, it does not make any sense.”