By AZE.US
Taxi passengers in Azerbaijan are reporting cases in which the fare displayed in their app differs from the amount shown to the driver, sometimes leading to demands for additional payment or canceled rides.
In one reported case, a passenger saw a fare of 3.90 manats ($2.29), while the driver said the trip appeared as 7 manats ($4.12) in his app.
The driver agreed to accept the order only if the passenger paid the higher amount.
Passengers say such discrepancies can reach 2-4 manats and are more frequently encountered during periods of high demand. Some drivers contact customers before arriving and ask whether they are willing to pay the price displayed on the driver’s side of the platform.
Drivers interviewed about the issue said they do not set fares themselves, arguing that prices are calculated automatically by the taxi platform. They attributed the discrepancy to technical problems or discounts offered directly to passengers.
Transport expert Adil Nabiyev said software errors could occasionally cause different figures to appear. However, he warned that some drivers may exploit the confusion to demand additional money from customers.
Taxi operators said the difference is usually related to promotional discounts. For example, if the full fare is 7 manats ($4.12) but the passenger receives a 2-manat discount, the customer’s app will show 5 manats ($2.94).
The passenger pays the discounted price, while the platform credits the remaining 2 manats to the driver’s account. The discount therefore does not reduce the driver’s earnings, according to the companies.
Passengers should pay only the fare displayed in their own app when the ride is booked. Any demand for an additional payment is unjustified and should be reported to the platform’s customer support service, preferably with a screenshot of the order.
AZE.US