Drivers under the aegis of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) have called on the Lagos State Government to adopt its collective agreement to regulate the ride-hailing business in the State.
Mr Kolawole Aina, South-West zonal chairman of AUATON, said this in an interview, noting that the agreement aims to ensure that its members would be regulated and have their welfare well taken care of.
The drivers’ said the activities of the ride-hailing companies, such as Uber, Bolt, and InDrive, among others, have not been favourable to them and, therefore, call on the state government for intervention.
According to Aina, the document put together for the state will address low pricing, high commission, and the activation and deactivation of drivers at will by app-based companies.
Furthermore, he noted that before the creation of the union in 2023, there had been a series of agitations among various groups of drivers, with many app-based companies alleging maltreatment.
“As a union, we saw the problems, created solutions and presented the solutions to government. It was accepted by the federal ministries of transport and labour, but the Lagos State government did not give us a listening ear.
“The document, which we call the collective agreement, is about how the government, app-based companies, drivers, and riders can have a fair share of responsibilities in the industry.
“It will be a system where each ride can be monitored by all the four communities, and each community can mutually benefit.”
“The issues of insurance and security have become very important. I cannot remember the number of drivers that have died on the job this year alone or lost properties to their customers or riders,” Aina said.
He regretted that the association’s deputy president died of fatigue inside his car this year, also noting that “Criminally-minded customers, sometimes, order rides, and during the ride, they kill the driver and steal the car and sell it.”
“This is where insurance comes in. All trips will be insured; the driver, riders, property in the cars and the car itself will be insured,” said Aina.
He decried algorithm management instead of human management in app-based companies, saying that machines are making decisions that humans should make.
Alleluia is the Assistant Editor and Content Writer at LagosPost.ng. She is a prolific writer and editor, she has written features and news stories on Lifestyle, Sports, Business, Politics and B2B marketing. She is also an event coordinator, host and social media content creator.
