Driver complains of triple ‘robbery’: through the window, through the gas station and through the app

Memes of users complaining about the adjustment in fuels took over social media this Friday (11). Some of them were startled by the increase in the price of the application run, a day after Petrobras announced an 18.8% rise in gasoline.

But the biggest complaint came from the app drivers themselves, against the lack of readjustments by the two large operators with national operations: 99 and Uber. After the threat of a driver’s stoppage, the companies promised to help the “partners”: 99 will increase the transfer of paid rides to drivers by 5% and Uber announced a BRL 100 million package in “initiatives aimed at increasing earnings and reducing of the costs of our partners”.

Up to 40% of the value of the rides paid to the drivers are retained by the transport platforms, found sheet. In September, Uber and 99 promoted readjustments in the transfer to drivers to compensate for the accumulated increase in fuel prices last year. It was an attempt to stop the growing number of race cancellations, when the route did not compensate for the driver’s displacement.

This Friday (11), Uber concentrated most of the complaints on social media, both from drivers and passengers, who even complain about the lack of air conditioning in cars in Rio, even in 40º heat.​

An Instagram user from Uber complained: “Car robberies have increased by more than 70% in Rio de Janeiro because we have to walk with the windows open.” To which another user replied: “The driver has 3 choices: the robbery through the window, or the gas station, or the platform, at absurd rates”, she said. “Unfortunately, only we, drivers and passengers, are at a loss,” she added.

The driver who responded to the Instagram user is Willer Teixeira, 36, who has been a member of the Uber and 99 platforms for three years. “No increase made it to the real category last year,” he told sheet.

In Belo Horizonte, where he works, there is a lot of robbery in traffic, he says. At the same time, operators are not transparent when reporting travel earnings transfers, she says. “The 99 is a little better than Uber, but the readjustment in the pass-through I didn’t notice in either one. We have a lot of expenses with maintenance, fuel and vehicle rental and this is not compensated”, he says. “Now, with the adjustment of Petrobras, everything gets worse”.

Driver strikes are not ruled out

Drivers are studying a protest against 99 and Uber, which could even include the stoppage of services.

“We are waiting for the negotiations of the governments and the readjustment in the tariffs coming from the companies”, says Eduardo Lima, president of Amasp (Association of Application Drivers of São Paulo). “If the announced measures do not generate a convincing effect, we do not rule out the stoppage,” he said.

According to him, in most races, drivers are at a loss. “Many are increasing the workload to make a profit, selecting only the best races”, says Lima. “But for companies, it’s as if nothing is happening. This expense [com combustíveis] It’s the driver’s, not theirs. They know that, even with the increases, drivers take to the streets because they are in debt, they have a vehicle payment to pay”.

According to Lima, the apps say that if they increase the price of the ride, demand drops. “But they need to understand that, without a readjustment, the modal will end, it cannot be sustained. The driver will have to take money out of his pocket for the passenger to reach his destination. They will abandon the platforms”, he says.

The possible manifestation is being studied with the union of the categories that work for the applications, including motorcycle delivery men and truck drivers, he says.

Gilberto Almeida dos Santos, president of SindimotoSP (Sindicato dos Messengers Motociclistas, Cyclistas e Mototaxista Intermunicipal of the State of São Paulo), says that it is still too early to announce a strike.

“In our midst, there are still a lot of Bolsonaristas”, he says. “With all the situation the country finds itself in, there are still precarious workers who defend the [presidente Jair] Bolsonaro”, he says.

In Santos’ opinion, however, the federal government took advantage of the war to push yet another readjustment “down our throats”. “This government has no commitment to the people,” he said. “We have been without a readjustment for workers for five years, and every month there is an increase in the price of fuel.”

99 promises greater transfer to the driver, without raising the fare; Uber price goes up

Uber announced on Friday night a BRL 100 million package in Brazil in the coming weeks.

According to the company, the capital will be applied “in initiatives aimed at increasing earnings and reducing costs for our partners, in addition to a temporary readjustment in the price of travel”, it says in a note. “The package is part of a global initiative by the company in the face of instability in the international scenario caused by the conflict in Eastern Europe, which has put pressure on input costs around the world, particularly fuel,” the statement reads.

The company informs a “temporary adjustment of 6.5% in prices”, to be applied to trips starting next week. “The increase is also intended to help drivers deal with the spike in their operating costs,” he says.

In a note, rival 99 stated that “it will offer financial compensation for the new escalation in the value of fuels”, with the objective of “canceling the last increase announced for the liter of gasoline and therefore readjusting the km run in the driver’s gain from across the country”.

According to the company, the addition will be implemented in the coming days in all 1,600 cities where 99 operates in Brazil.

“In parallel, the platform is testing a subsidy solution to automatically track fuel fluctuations, both up and down. After testing, the new feature would have the potential to bring even more transparency and security to partners,” 99 reported. , in note.

On 99’s Instagram, a driver complained: “For God’s sake, be ashamed, fuel has gone up to R$8, look at these rates! We are being exploited and being a laughing stock to passengers”.

“So 99, when are you really going to help drivers? Are we the ones who make you more billionaires every day, when are you going to look out for drivers?”, asked an Instagram user. Another complained: “I want to see if they will be able to keep these millionaire advertisements with the stampede of drivers that will have, this new increase in gasoline was the last straw! Only suckers will continue driving with this tariff”.

Instagram users on the Uber page said that this is the worst moment in the category. “Highest gasoline in history and the fare for the driver costs R$ 3.75. How long will Uber neglect this and keep passing on this crap?! Passengers can’t even take so much neglect anymore!”

“Gasoline in some regions reaches almost R$9 and our transfer is getting smaller, explain how drivers, fathers and mothers of families will be able to support themselves?”, asked a user, on Uber’s Instagram page. “It will paralyze, because no one will be able to buy fuel,” said another.