By AZE.US
Taxi passengers in Azerbaijan have recently reported paying noticeably more for the same routes, with fares sometimes changing within minutes.
Bolt and Yango say the increases are driven by automated dynamic pricing rather than fixed tariff hikes.
Bolt told Trend that fares on its platform are calculated based on supply and demand at the time of booking. The system also considers traffic congestion, route length, expected travel time and the number of available drivers.
Prices may rise during rainy, windy or cold weather because demand for taxis increases while fewer drivers may be active. Bolt stressed that weather conditions do not trigger a separate surcharge. Instead, they affect the balance between passenger demand and driver availability.
Fares may also vary depending on the time of day, city and service category. Once demand declines and more vehicles become available, prices generally return to their usual levels.
Yango said it uses a similar automated pricing system based on real-time conditions in the city. Its algorithm calculates the fare by comparing the number of orders with the number of available cars, while also considering traffic, weather and the destination.
When demand in a particular area significantly exceeds the number of available vehicles, the system raises prices to encourage more drivers to accept trips there. According to the company, fares fall again once the balance between orders and available cars is restored.
The companies’ explanations mean that passengers may see different prices for an identical route not only on different days, but even a few minutes apart – particularly during rush hour, bad weather or periods of unusually high demand.
AZE.US