Ride-hailing app drivers in exodus?

Drivers of a major ride-hailing platform are reportedly leaving the company in significant numbers following a steep increase in its commission rate to as much as 35 percent several months ago, a driver told Nosy Tarsee.

According to the driver, many have already switched to a competing ride-hailing service that charges 10-12 percent lower commissions. During the Christmas season, this rival platform even offered a promotional commission of just four percent, making the move financially compelling for drivers.

“With my former transportation network vehicle service, it felt like we were working only to keep the company alive,” the driver said. 

“To be fair, they did call a meeting. But when we raised our concerns about the 35 percent commission, they responded with highly technical explanations that were hard to understand. It felt like they were just stringing us along,” the squealer told Nosy Tarsee.

The driver said the mass transfer explains why passengers experienced difficulty booking rides on the dominant platform over the past month, despite the surge in demand during the peak holiday season.

“That’s because many of their drivers had already left. They transferred to other platforms. Passengers could get cheaper fares with the company we moved to,” he said.

In contrast, bookings on the newer ride-hailing players remain noticeably lower than those on the market-dominant app, although drivers say the gap may continue to narrow as more of them migrate in search of better take-home pay.