Citizens are urging Rapido and other ride-hailing platforms to strengthen their verification processes and adhere strictly to regulatory guidelines to ensure passenger safety.
Published Mar 18, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 18, 2025 | 9:00 AM
Drivers say they work for multiple apps and the vehicle or phone number may not always match what’s displayed. (Rapido website)
Synopsis: People using Rapido app are worried over the mismatch between the driver details provided to them and the actual driver.
“Bharat Moves on Rapido,” claims the ride-hailing app on its website. However, the ride often turns nightmarish for Chennai residents.
A major problem with Rapido is the mismatch between the driver, phone number, and vehicle details provided to customers. Complaints have been raised over different drivers and vehicles turning up to pick up customers—not the ones the app had informed.
The mismatch has raised safety concerns, especially among women.
Aarthi and Priya, two working professionals, were among those left with a bad experience. The drivers demanded extra money beyond the fare mentioned on the app.
“When I refused, he became aggressive and even issued a veiled threat,” said Aarthi. “I wanted to report him, but the name and number on the app were completely different from the actual driver. I had no way to track him or raise a complaint.”
Priya, too, faced a similar situation. “It’s terrifying because you feel completely helpless. The company needs to ensure that the person assigned on the app is the same person driving.”
Tracking a loved one becomes a struggle. Kumar, an IT professional in Chennai, shared his experience of how the mismatch left him worried after his girlfriend had hailed a ride.
“She took a ride after dinner, and I wanted to keep track of her. But the number and name on the app didn’t match the driver. It made tracking her difficult, and I had to stay on a call with her throughout the ride to ensure she reached home safely,” Kumar explained.
Women riders have also expressed fears of potential abuse, especially in light of incidents involving ride-hailing services.
“I’ve read about cases where women were harassed or stalked by drivers. With so many discrepancies in identity verification, how do we know if we’re getting into a safe ride?” said Keerthana, a college student.
For many women, even a routine commute becomes worrisome. Shalini, a marketing professional, shared how she never listens to music when travelling alone in an auto after 9 pm.
“I used to put on my earphones and zone out, but now I don’t. My friend told me horrifying stories about auto drivers who, once they realise a female is travelling alone, start playing loud music or humming along in an unsettling way,” Shalini said.
“It may seem harmless to some, but for us, it’s a signal to stay alert,” she added.
Language barriers also make situations more distressing for non-Tamil speakers. Manisha, a North Indian woman working in Chennai, described an unsettling experience on a Rapido bike taxi.
“The driver kept adjusting the mirror to stare at me and unnecessarily turned back multiple times during the ride,” she said. “I was scared because I didn’t know how to tell him to stop in Tamil. I just wanted to get off the bike as soon as possible.”
These concerns, many said, highlight the urgent need for stricter identity verification and better safety mechanisms for ride-hailing services.
Auto and bike taxi drivers using multiple platforms like Rapido, Ola, and Uber said the mismatches happen because they use different numbers and accounts for each service.
“We work for multiple apps, so sometimes we switch between them, and the vehicle or number may not always match what’s displayed,” admitted Suresh (name changed), an auto driver who takes bookings from various platforms.
Another driver, Ramesh (name changed), explained, “Sometimes, one app gives more rides than the other, so we log in to multiple accounts to get more bookings. If a customer cancels, we immediately accept another one on a different platform. That’s why the details don’t always match.”
Karthik, a Rapido bike taxi operator, explained further. “Many of us share bikes or auto-rickshaws with friends or family members. If my brother’s name is registered on Rapido but I’m riding that day, I’ll take the booking, and the customer may see a different name.”
However, passengers argued that this system makes it impossible to verify drivers and leaves them vulnerable to risks.
Rapido has implemented several measures to enhance passenger security:
SOS feature: The app includes an SOS button, activated once the ride is accepted by the captain (driver). In case of an emergency, riders can use this button to reach out for immediate assistance.
Late-night safety check-ins: For rides between 10 pm and 6 am, Rapido’s customer care conducts safety check-ins after the ride is completed.
Real-time ride monitoring: The platform offers real-time ride monitoring and route deviation alerts, notifying passengers if a driver deviates from the recommended path, thereby enhancing security.
Captain training and screening: Rapido has comprehensive safety-focused training and screening processes for its drivers to ensure passenger comfort and security.
According to Rapido’s policies, all drivers, referred to as “Captains,” are required to undergo comprehensive background checks upon joining, including criminal record verifications, to ensure they meet safety standards.
These checks are followed by annual screenings, and the company conducts ongoing monitoring for criminal convictions, deactivating drivers as necessary.
Furthermore, Rapido mandates that captains undergo a complete medical examination, including an eye check-up, through a prescribed medical institution before they are allowed to operate.
The company bears the cost of such medical check-ups. Additionally, Rapido personnel may conduct spot checks of vehicles to verify compliance with their terms and applicable laws.
The Union Government’s Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020 stipulate that aggregators must ensure the appropriate functioning of GPS installed in vehicles, enforce mechanisms to verify that the driver undertaking a trip is the same as the one enlisted with the aggregator, and conduct regular spot checks of vehicles.
However, despite these measures, incidents continue to occur, indicating a need for more robust enforcement and possibly additional safety protocols. Citizens are urging Rapido and other ride-hailing platforms to strengthen their verification processes and adhere strictly to regulatory guidelines to ensure passenger safety.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
