Uber raises fare two months after Dhaka launch

Uber has increased its fare two months after launching the ride-hailing service in Dhaka.

News Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 20 Jan 2017, 10:51 AM
Updated : 20 Jan 2017, 02:32 PM

The hike for UberX, the lowest-cost option, was announced on Friday. The new rates will come into effect from Monday.

Users of the app-based taxi service will be paying Tk 21 per km, instead of Tk 18 per km and Tk 3 per min in place of Tk 2 per min.

Base fare was at Tk 50, which was the also amount to be paid for cancellation. 

Uber app calculates the fare, which is the sum of base time and distance fare.

Uber said it decided on increasing final fare by “20 percent to 22 percent” to make sure it remains a “high-quality platform that seamlessly connects riders to affordable transportation, and drivers to viable economic opportunities.”

“After all, Uber works well when it works for both riders and driver-partners,” said the announcement on its website.

Uber taxis, launched in Dhaka in last year’s November, are credited for revolutionising transport across the globe owing to its system of drivers using personal cars to provide services.

Individuals owning cars can register to become Uber drivers and earn fares by picking up passengers near their locations.

But a few days after the launch, the San Francisco-based firm got into trouble with Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), which said the service was illegal as its functions were incompatible with motor vehicle regulations.

But BRTA Chairman Md Nazrul Islam, after meeting with Uber representatives, said it would not have a problem if only vehicles registered for commercial are used in the service.

Bridges and Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader also said the government wanted to reach a solution on Uber which, he said, should make adjustments to fit into the prevailing system.