Bengaluru: Auto drivers demand fare in cash, shy away from digital payments

Bengaluru: The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic saw a need for social distancing and the rise of digital payments. Taxi-services like Ola and Uber found no difficulty in quickly adapting to the change as they were already providing the option to their customers much before Covid struck.

Despite the immense incentive to make the switch, some independent auto drivers continue to resist the digital payment.

Though the taxi and auto industry has suffered a great deal during the lockdown, they were quick to bounce back with socially distant travel strategies, Covid- appropriate measures and the ease of app- usage for customers. Even customers who refused to move digital were forced to join digital payment services like Paytm and GPay during this period.

With a quick scan of the QR code, customers can now make payments without rummaging for change. But this wasn't enough for independent auto drivers who have been hit by the pandemic. These auto drivers have concerns that precede the pandemic but it has made it even harder.

Hussain who has been driving an autorickshaw for the past 37 years says that making even Rs 11,000 a month has become difficult. Before the Covid-19, he was able to earn at least Rs 25.000. Several others are making the same claim.

For Mani who has been driving for the past 5 years, the business has come down by approximately 80 per cent. These auto drivers face issues from customers demanding online payments to a reduced number of customers. But these auto drivers are simply unable to make a life-saving jump due to several reasons.

Most of the auto drivers complain of not having a bank account in the first place. Either some of them have lost their passbooks or some just refuse to open an account. Auto drivers are scared to open a bank account due to fear of losing whatever little they earn. They claim that banks start charging for miscellaneous services once they open an account.

Most also mentioned that they don't possess smartphones. Owning a smartphone might not be a luxury for many but it's a necessity to make digital payments. They refuse to buy a smartphone to boost their business for it might mean paying additional charges for data services and service charges for using these payment services.

"I need to pay my owner rent daily in cash", says Selvaraj who has been driving for the past 15 years. A majority of them don't own their autorickshaws and have to pay rent to their owners irrespective of their earnings. "Daily I have to pay my owner Rs 230 in cash," he added.

Taking rising gas prices and other miscellaneous expenses into account, it leaves very little for them to take back to their households.

Auto driver Sachin who uses digital payment services complained that they charge Rs 6-8 per transaction. He refuses to join tax services like Ola and Uber saying he does not want to work for a foreign company.

He also added that he is trying to avoid additional expenses by not joining these companies. Joining a taxi service also comes with a pre-requisite to own a smartphone, a bank account, and active data services--all that they are actively evading to make ends meet.