Afrigather Drivers who use inDrive are going through a flurry of accusations of misconduct in Botswana. The corporate says it’s investigating the circumstances.
Drivers who use inDrive’s ride-hailing platform are going through misconduct allegations by passengers in Botswana. The allegations vary from belligerent and uncouth behaviour to sexual harassment. inDrive advised TechCabal that it’s investigating a number of the incidents and has blocked some drivers who had been topics of complaints. TechCabal spoke to 4 passengers who had these experiences first-hand.
27-year-old *Katso, who requested for anonymity for privateness causes, advised TechCabal that the primary of her three unhealthy experiences with inDrive began when she requested a journey costing P30, which the motive force accepted. At her vacation spot, Katso mentioned the motive force insisted that she pay P50 for the journey. “I advised him that I’d not try this as a result of he agreed to the quantity on the app. If he felt that was not ample, he might have merely not accepted the journey.” Katso mentioned the motive force acted aggressively however ultimately drove left.
In accordance with Katso, within the different two incidents, the drivers had been pleading together with her to pay extra, as a substitute of forcing her. “They let you know that loads of issues are costly within the nation they usually don’t have any selection however to simply accept rides even when they really feel the costs are too low. I don’t know if they are saying that to imply or simply so that you just received’t give them a nasty ranking on the app,” added Katso.
inDrive’s distinctive proposition is that it permits drivers and passengers to barter and agree on a payment as a substitute of letting an algorithm determine. Nonetheless, stories from passengers counsel that drivers usually agree with them on a worth after which ask them to pay extra at their vacation spot.
In accordance with one other criticism heard by TechCabal however couldn’t be corroborated, one incident concerned a driver who bodily assaulted a feminine passenger as a result of she wouldn’t pay the quantity agreed on the app.
In yet one more incident, 26-year-old Tapiwa mentioned she requested an inDrive on a weekend night time however was shocked when the automobile that confirmed up didn’t match the one on the app. It additionally had a male passenger. “The motive force advised me that the male passenger was for his security as drivers typically get robbed by passengers. I advised him that i might not get right into a cab late at night time with two males and he proceeded to be impolite and advised me to get one other cab, which I did,” Tapiwa advised TechCabal.
Extra incidents
On a thread on the social media platform X, one person shared a voice recording
of an irate driver upset {that a} passenger cancelled their journey. One other person shared that she has had a driver touching himself in a sexually suggestive method throughout a journey whereas one other shared that she was picked by a driver who appeared debilitated, presumably off narcotics. Different circumstances shared by customers embrace unroadworthy autos, drunk drivers and drivers who name passengers the subsequent day utilizing the numbers they offered on the app.
In accordance with a number of the passengers, a number of the incidents occur with even high-rated drivers, making it tough for them to have the ability to keep away from such circumstances.
inDrive responds
TechCabal put the wide selection of accusations to inDrive, to which the corporate responded that it was conscious of a number of the incidents and that it was conducting investigations to establish their accuracy and determine on the subsequent steps.
“In response to latest considerations, inDrive desires to guarantee the general public that we’re actively addressing the reported incidents,” the corporate mentioned in an emailed response to techCabal.” We’re conscious of a number of such complaints and have promptly blocked the accounts of these drivers in query till additional investigation.”
The corporate additionally inspired passengers to report all circumstances of drivers’ so it will possibly take the required steps to forestall additional points. Nonetheless, for Tapiwa, the frequency of the incidents has made her cease utilizing the service altogether until she completely has to.
“I don’t suppose I’m going to make use of [inDrive] anytime quickly. Possibly if I had an emergency or one thing, however most likely not. I’d somewhat use a cab beneficial by somebody I do know,” she added.
Regardless of having blown up in reputation within the nation over the previous couple of months, inDrive has additionally confronted a good quantity of points in its operations in Botswana, the place it’s the solely ride-hailing firm out there. Final month, the nation’s kombi and taxi affiliation requested the transport regulator to ban the service, citing considerations that it was working with out the requisite licensing.
*Identify has been modified for anonymity.
