Fuel price hikes have cut a swathe through the Uber/ Bolt drivers of Lisbon and Porto.
Ride-hailing transport association APTAD said today that 1,500 fewer combustion engine cars are working in the cities because neither platform has fares to cater for the increases in the costs of fuel,
In a statement, APTAD warns “the stoppage is accelerating” and is strong “among the 57% (of vehicles) that use fuel.”
“It is only masked by electric vehicles, which make up 43% of the fleet,” the association added, stressing that no-one wants “to work to lose money.”
In the statement, the association again criticised “platform inaction regarding fuel price hikes” demanding “urgent intervention.”
Fuel has already increased by around 40 cents per litre since the start of the conflict in the Middle East – and, more to the point, platforms Uber and Bolt are accused of ignoring APTAD’s ‘open letter’, requesting support mechanisms for operators and drivers, and new payment scales.
In this context, the association believes the situation is “unequivocal proof that the current legal framework has failed”, as legislation in force allows platforms to continue defining prices unilaterally, without any obligation to reflect the real costs of the activity.
APTAD recalls that it “presented a proposal to the government to amend the ride-hailing law that corrects this imbalance, introducing mechanisms such as minimum fares and a minimum occupancy rate per platform, ensuring that trip prices reflect the real costs of the activity and avoid the destruction of drivers’ incomes.”
“Given the seriousness of the situation,” the association demands an “immediate response from the Uber and Bolt platforms – clarifying why they do not reflect the “brutal increase in fuel prices in trip prices.”
In the meantime, if you want to call up an Uber or Bolt in Lisbon or Porto, you might find yourself waiting a little longer than usual.
Source: LUSA
