Pune Cab Drivers Accused Of Fare Manipulation Using ‘OnlyMeter’ Website; Commuters Complain Of Arbitrary Charges
Pune Cab Drivers Accused Of Fare Manipulation Using ‘OnlyMeter’ Website; Commuters Complain Of Arbitrary Charges
Pune: Several commuters in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad are raising red flags over a growing trend among app-based cab drivers — switching between Uber/Ola app fares and a third-party website called OnlyMeter.in to charge whichever amount is higher.
According to a report in Times Of India, the issue came to light when Saqib Alam Shaikh, a resident of NIBM Road, booked an Uber from the Pune airport to his residence. Although the Uber app showed a fare of ₹400 for the 15km trip, the driver refused to go by the app rate.
“He told me the fare would be calculated by ‘meter rate’ and asked me to check www.onlymeter.in. According to that, the fare was ₹370. But when he heard it was less than the app fare, he immediately reverted to the ₹400 shown on the Uber app,” said Shaikh. “I was too tired to argue and just paid.”
Commuters have since reported several similar cases, where cab drivers toggle between two fare-calculation methods — the app’s dynamic pricing and the OnlyMeter website — choosing whichever gives them more money.
Dual Fare System: Surge Pricing vs Meter Rate
The confusion began after May 1, when Keshav Kshirsagar, president of the Indian Gig Workers Front, announced that cab drivers would start charging fares similar to autorickshaws — ₹37 for the first 1.5 km and ₹25 per km thereafter — based on government-approved meter rates. However, no physical meters have been installed in the cabs.
Instead, drivers direct passengers to the OnlyMeter website, run by the Gig Workers Front, which claims to use government rates to calculate fares based on distance entered by the passenger.
Key Concerns Raised:
- Lack of transparency and proper metering
- No receipts or official invoicing
- Dual fare system leading to inflated charges
- Absence of regulatory enforcement or oversight
As complaints grow, commuters are demanding urgent intervention from RTO officials and clear fare guidelines from Uber, Ola, and Rapido to prevent further exploitation.
