A social media post by a Bengaluru commuter has started a fresh conversation about the big difference between auto meter fares and prices on ride-booking apps. The post showed that a 2.6 km ride cost only Rs 39 on the meter, but the same trip was priced at Rs 172.45 on an app.

The user pointed out how hard it is for people without their own vehicles to travel in the city. Her post connected with many commuters who regularly face high prices, surge charges, and cancelled rides.

App fares nearly four times higher

The screenshot showed the auto meter reading Rs 39 for the short ride, while the fare on a popular app-based platform was more than four times higher. The post read that without a private vehicle in Bengaluru, one is left at the mercy of expensive and inconsistent app-based fares.

The tweet quickly went viral, sparking outrage and drawing attention to the growing challenges faced by daily commuters in the city, especially in the face of surge pricing, traffic congestion, and fluctuating availability of rides.

Netizens weigh in: ‘Absolute exploitation’

The user's experience resonated with thousands of Bengaloreans, many of whom face irregular pricing and ride cancellations on a nearly daily basis. The thread soon filled with user comments of their own experiences and expressions of disgust with what they called "unfair" and "exploitative" pricing actions. 

“True... the apps are a scam. In fact, no takers for Ola and Uber auto rides. Only Rapido and Namma Yatri and even there, prices are 3 to 4 times higher,” one user replied.

Another pointed out the disparity in pricing mechanisms, writing, “Uber prices are based on supply-demand, while meter prices are fixed by the government. It should be based on supply for fairness, but the Bengaluru government and auto mafia don’t let that happen banning bike taxis and removing non-Kannadiga autos.”

Some commuters also noted that despite app prices matching meter rates on occasion, drivers often cancel rides if the fare doesn’t meet their expectations. “Ola and NY are confirming rides because they’re 50 or more higher,” a user shared.