…as AUATON Insists Apps are Intermediaries, Lacking Authority to Dictate Trip Prices
The Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has escalated its fight with e-hailing companies like Bolt, Uber, and inDrive, firmly insisting that the tech companies have no legal or operational authority to set ride fares on their platforms.
In a definitive statement, the drivers’ union responded to recent threats by Bolt to permanently remove drivers for unauthorized price hikes, particularly in the Port Harcourt market. The union argued that the apps’ practice of pre-setting trip fares is “oppressive, unfair, and unacceptable” because the companies classify themselves as mere intermediaries, not transportation providers.
“We are the transporters, and we are the ones who know the right fares for the services we render… They should only negotiate their commission with us, not fix our prices,” stated Comrade Jossy Adaraniwon, the National Spokesperson for AUATON.
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AUATON pointed out a critical contradiction in the operating policies of the e-hailing apps: If companies like Bolt disclaim liability for incidents after connecting a driver and a rider, the union argues, they forfeit the right to dictate the financial terms of the trip. The union views this continued control over pricing as undermining their members’ earnings and returns on investment amidst rising fuel prices and car maintenance costs.
The pushback comes after Bolt threatened to block drivers in Port Harcourt who had resolved to implement a 50% fare increase to cushion the impact of operational inflation. Bolt had defended its policy by highlighting its in-app price bidding feature, which allows some flexibility, but the union dismissed this as an inadequate attempt to “mislead the general public.”
The union has issued a strong warning, stating that any attempt to block drivers in one city will be met with a nationwide shutdown. AUATON advised the major e-hailing platforms to urgently organize a roundtable discussion to agree on a fair pricing model, or face the risk of drivers abandoning the apps for alternatives more favorable to the workforce.