SoftBank-backed cab aggregator Ola is trying to fix the problem of drivers often abruptly cancelling ride bookings after accepting them.
The practice is rampant, leaving customers in the lurch at the last moment.
Today I am writing because I am very frustrated from OLA seevice, I booked a ride from my office to home I choose ola mini for comfort ride, but drivers called me and asked for destination and they cancelled ride it was happened 4 times,@bhash@Olacabs pic.twitter.com/sjh6jGEe6F
— Kishan Singh (@anikorari) December 20, 2021
@ola_supports @bhash dear team...I am always facing issue for pickup at Gurgaon sector 67..... yesterday 2 driver cancel my ride and in this area Ola auto availability always have issue..yesterday not only mine even my friends also facing same issue..plz see pic.twitter.com/grwi1eqcaw
— Mukesh Kumar (@007Mukeshk) December 21, 2021
On December 21, the company’s chief executive, Bhavish Aggarwal, took to Twitter to inform customers that Ola was trying to increase transparency for its driver-partners by sharing approximate drop locations and payment mode of ride bookings. This, he felt, will solve the problem of abrupt cancellations to a considerable extent.
Addressing the 2nd most popular question I get - Why does my driver cancel my Ola ride?!!
— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) December 21, 2021
We're taking steps to fix this industry wide issue. Ola drivers will now see approx drop location & payment mode before accepting a ride. Enabling drivers is key to reducing cancelations. pic.twitter.com/MFaK1q0On8
The top two reasons for most such ride cancellations are drop locations and modes of payment (either cash, card or UPI) chosen by customers but deemed unfavourable by drivers.
Now, however, the newly introduced features will allow drivers, before accepting the ride, to see customers’ approximate drop location and their preferred mode of payment.
My @Olacabs driver told me that they’ve started seeing approximate destinations before accepting a booking! This is fabulous @bhash! Building for India 💪🏻 https://t.co/83uyQwTwSE
— Vineeta Singh (@vineetasng) December 21, 2021
“Enabling drivers is key to reducing cancellations,” Aggarwal said.
This article first appeared on Quartz.