As soon as Vietnamese company Green SM Limo started electric taxi service in Delhi-NCR, it is facing resentment from the drivers. The company had launched about one thousand Vinfast brand cars in the area and the drivers were assured of good earnings during recruitment. But after the first week of payment, there was huge disappointment among the drivers. Many drivers say that they got only a little more than one thousand rupees, whereas the expectation was many times more. Due to this their domestic responsibilities are getting affected.
The company has accepted these initial problems and has started talks with the drivers. This EV cab service was seen as an attempt to fill the premium electric cab segment after the closure of Blue Smart. Drivers allege that there is a huge gap between promises and reality, due to which their trust is breaking. Let us understand the whole matter.
Launch and initial promises
Green SM Limo's app went live a few weeks ago. But official services started on June 5. Big politicians from Delhi and Haryana also participated in the launch program. The company had promised drivers a minimum guaranteed income of Rs 35,000 every month for two months, even if bookings were low. After this, it was said that the earning would depend on the performance. The company makes payments every Tuesday.
The big thing that attracted the drivers was that they did not need to buy their own vehicle. The company is providing Vinfast cars. Initially all this seemed attractive, but after the payment came the situation changed. Speaking to The Indian Express, a cab driver said that he got only Rs 1,064 in a week, whereas the expectation was more than Rs 8,000.
Dispute regarding payment and terms
The drivers allege that the company has imposed many new conditions for guaranteed income, which were not mentioned in the beginning. Now, booking acceptance rate of more than 90 percent, trip completion rate of 90 percent and customer rating of at least 4.8 has been made mandatory.
Apart from this, drivers have been prohibited from being online on the app at home or while charging. They have been asked to login only after sitting in the vehicle and starting their duty. Many drivers also mentioned permit related problems. Due to lack of complete permission for vehicles in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, there is difficulty in taking or canceling bookings in places like Noida.
Company response
Speaking to The Indian Express, a Green SM official said that the company is taking the feedback from driver partners seriously in the initial phase. The drivers were met directly and their views were heard and work is underway to solve the problems.
The company is preparing to make necessary changes after examining the operational data. There is also a plan to start a new facility for eligible drivers to take the vehicle home, so that their convenience can be increased. The company aims to deploy 10,000 cars across the country.
Drivers say that if concrete changes are not made soon, their livelihood will be affected. Talks are going on from both sides.