The Association of Online Drivers, comprising operators on Uber, Yango and Bolt platforms, has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama over what they describe as high charges on trips.
Speaking to Citi News on Thursday, April 23, the Executive Chairman of the Association, Augustin Mensah, said the steady increase in commission rates by platform owners—from 10 percent to as high as 30 percent over the years—has placed a significant economic burden on drivers.
“Sometimes requests come from as far as a 17-minute drive. You and I know that when you ask somebody to drive 17 minutes, then that person is driving almost 16 to 20 kilometres, depending on the car the person is using,” he said.
He explained that drivers who decline such long-distance pickups risk penalties on their performance ratings.
“When a driver refuses to embark on such a long-distance pickup, the score—the mark that the driver has built over the years—will be reduced. And when it persists… the driver is sometimes blocked for a week,” he added.
Mr. Mensah noted that in some cases, drivers travel long distances to pick up passengers for short trips with low fares, from which up to 30 percent is deducted as commission.
“Through that GH¢15, 30 percent will be deducted. So it’s become like a slave and the master. What the master says is what the slave has to do,” he stated.
He also raised concerns about restrictions embedded in the apps, which he said limit drivers to operating within a two-kilometre radius from their starting point, thereby affecting their ability to maximise earnings.
Receiving the petition on behalf of the President, Presidential Staffer Dr. Samuel Ayeh assured the drivers that their concerns would be addressed, noting that issues surrounding online driving are being considered as part of the government’s 24-hour economy initiative.
