[fazayal]

We are seeing a historic rise in price of fuel for past few months now. So with the rise in fuel prices is it making more sense to use cab aggregator apps like OLA/Uber or the price of OLA/Uber is now increased much more and it makes more sense to travel in your own car?

Would love to hear your experiences, opinions and rationale.

Since March 20, I'm doing work from home and my travel totally restricted to running errands locally for past few months with a rare longish trip in between which I do in my car. Hence I don't have visibility or experience of OLA/Uber in recent times.

[SS8939]

Given that fuel is a big expense for cabs, isn't it fair to expect a corresponding increase in cab fares as well?

Also, given the strange times we live in now, an argument can be made that private vehicles are a safer option as they reduce exposure to any new people outside of your existing "bubble".

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by fazayal

with the rise in fuel prices is it making more sense to use cab aggregator apps like OLA/Uber or the price of OLA/Uber is now increased much more and it makes more sense to travel in your own car?

Ola/Uber, in my view, always made sense even in non-pandemic times. Yes, using taxis in the current times is a personal choice, but I don't find anything wrong in using them even in the pandemic. They're generally very clean. Yes, in the current WFH model, and with usage of a car next to Nil, investing in a new car can be debated.

I was just going through my trip history in 2018 and found that I was paying a mere INR13 a km for a 25 km ride in Delhi that I had undertaken 14 days in a row. This was by a car of the Etios/Xcent/Dzire class.

If you do your math for Total Cost of Ownership(TCO) of a personal car of the same class (Capital + Fuel + Maintenance + Insurance + Tolls minus sale proceeds), am sure it will exceed INR13 a km. This, despite the liberal fuel and maintenance allowances plus tax benefits for cars bought under lease plans, where inflated bills are the order of the day.

Originally Posted by SS8939

Given that fuel is a big expense for cabs, isn't it fair to expect a corresponding increase in cab fares as well?

There is a rise, and here is an example. In Jun 2018, I travelled Hauz Khas Block K to Chander Nagar Gurugram, a 25km ride, and my trip cost for a trip commencing 0700-0715hrs would typically be INR 310-320. Today, the same trip for the same commencement time costs INR 375.

[greenhorn]

While ola and uber claim that they disinfect cars frequently, I have been avoiding public places, and if I do have to, then I make sure that I don't touch any surfaces. Almost impossible to do in a public cab unless you're wearing a full ppe suit. With your car you don't need to worry About that

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by fazayal

We are seeing a historic rise in price of fuel for past few months now. So with the rise in fuel prices is it making more sense to use cab aggregator apps like OLA/Uber or the price of OLA/Uber is now increased much more and it makes more sense to travel in your own car?

With rising fuel prices, the costs of OLA/Uber are also increasing. But even then, purely financially speaking, OLA/Uber always makes sense over the Total Cost of Ownership of owning car. There is no two ways about it, financially.

Where owning personal car makes sense is for non-financial reasons such as you just love to own a car and drive it around just because you love driving (most of us here fit in this category), and/or for doing long road trips where OLA/Uber is of no use, and/or for the 24x7 availability of your own car, and/or the perceived safety of your own car in the pandemic times. These are the reasons one would choose to own a car. Not financial reasons!

Originally Posted by vigsom

Ola/Uber, in my view, always made sense even in non-pandemic times.

Agree 100% to this. I think even today, with increased prices of cabs and increased constraints, it still makes sense to use the cabs than owning a car from purely financial point of view. In fact, even car prices are increasing with an alarming rate! So owning a car is still far more expensive than just using a cab.

[condor]

With the recent increase in prices for Ola/Uber, I think the benefit has reduced. And in the pandemic, I would rather use my own car than public transport

[fazayal]

Originally Posted by vigsom

There is a rise, and here is an example. In Jun 2018, I travelled Hauz Khas Block K to Chander Nagar Gurugram, a 25km ride, and my trip cost for a trip commencing 0700-0715hrs would typically be INR 310-320. Today, the same trip for the same commencement time costs INR 375.

Rise from 310-320 to 375 is not in proportion with fuel price rise in last 3 years, no? Fuel prices have increased at much higher rate.

[rahulvv]

Originally Posted by fazayal

Rise from 310-320 to 375 is not in proportion with fuel price rise in last 3 years, no? Fuel prices have increased at much higher rate.

Ola/Uber don't use Petrol/Diesel. They primarily run on CNG which hasn't increased in price as much. At current CNG prices, their cost/km is about 2-2.5 Rs

[landcruiser123]

I'm a firm believer that one's primary car can't be replaced. The convenience of having your own car is unbeatable. If driving has dropped, it makes sense to let go of the second/third/fourth car and maybe replace it with a simple scooter for nearby errands.

It has happened twice that my dad had an international flight to catch on the day of a bandh. No taxi or bus would operate on those days. Living in south Bangalore, I've had to drive him 50km (one-way) to the airport.

Also, when he used to take the airport shuttle, I'd pick/drop him at a nearby bus stop at late night/early mornings. The ola/uber between the airport & home was 4x the price of the volvo bus.

Needless to say, there are too many instances where having the convenience of a car is unbeatable. Once you get used to it, it becomes too hard to depend on someone else for transport unless you have major changes like retirement with no hectic schedule.

[400notout]

Originally Posted by rahulvv

Ola/Uber don't use Petrol/Diesel. They primarily run on CNG which hasn't increased in price as much. At current CNG prices, their cost/km is about 2-2.5 Rs

Yesterday I took a cab and an auto to office fo the first time after February. In the morning route I took the cab as the price difference between auto and cab was 50 bucks. Earlier I used to pay 431 for auto which was showing 535. Took a cab for 585. While returning, I took a metro halfway and then an auto. It cost me 330 rs against the 270 I used to pay earlier.

On the other hand my car fuel costs me 600 to 700 bucks a day. The Uber cab was an xcent cng and the driver wasn't happy, he quoted a cost of 7rs per km. I dont know the calculations. Maybe it's about the car as he was talking about selling it and going for a wagon r cng.

For me, personal car that too Petrol still beats Ola/Uber.

[wittycat]

It all boils down to how much you are willing to sacrifice. Ideally I would prefer a mix of both. For times when there are no cabs available or for sheer convenience i would prefer my own vehicle. But if I have the time to wait for a cab and of course the patience to deal with a Bangalore Uber/Ola guy, then I would take the cab.

[whitewing]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

..
It has happened twice that my dad had an international flight to catch on the day of a bandh. No taxi or bus would operate on those days. Living in south Bangalore, I've had to drive him 50km (one-way) to the airport. ...
Needless to say, there are too many instances where having the convenience of a car is unbeatable. Once you get used to it, it becomes too hard to depend on someone else for transport unless you have major changes like retirement with no hectic schedule.

Absolutely, the availability of these service - say during rains, or to outlying areas of a city etc. is patchy at best. I have experienced lots of last minute trip cancellation (pre -covid) for night travel from E-City to Bangalore north. The only provider with a who gave predictable experience was Meru, but unfortunately they don't have the numbers and with Mahindra getting in, it may wither away.

Sometimes that benefit cannot be credited just in rupee terms - ex: having to rush a dear one to hospital etc. Nothing beats having a car at one's disposal (own/lease). Think it as a convenience insurance :-)

To me, ola/uber makes sense for travel in the CBD during business hours - it saves effort and time for parking and avoids having to drive though city traffic. And net net will be cheaper on a per/km basis.

[rahulvv]

Originally Posted by 400notout

Yesterday I took a cab and an auto to office fo the first time after February. In the morning route I took the cab as the price difference between auto and cab was 50 bucks. Earlier I used to pay 431 for auto which was showing 535. Took a cab for 585. While returning, I took a metro halfway and then an auto. It cost me 330 rs against the 270 I used to pay earlier.

On the other hand my car fuel costs me 600 to 700 bucks a day. The Uber cab was an xcent cng and the driver wasn't happy, he quoted a cost of 7rs per km. I dont know the calculations. Maybe it's about the car as he was talking about selling it and going for a wagon r cng.

For me, personal car that too Petrol still beats Ola/Uber.

Well you are only counting the fuel cost or variable cost of owning your car. If you add up the overall cost of ownership including vehicle price, insurance, maintenance, opportunity cost of investment - your per km cost would translate to anywhere close to 16-17 Rs..

[400notout]

Originally Posted by rahulvv

Well you are only counting the fuel cost or variable cost of owning your car. If you add up the overall cost of ownership including vehicle price, insurance, maintenance, opportunity cost of investment - your per km cost would translate to anywhere close to 16-17 Rs..

Well I do not disagree with you one bit. But I am really bad at math. If I think so much, I'll miss out on simple pleasures and conveniences that a personal car brings. If I really wanted value for money, I would resign myself to smelling armpits in train commutes and invest the fuel money in land

[condor]

Originally Posted by fazayal

Rise from 310-320 to 375 is not in proportion with fuel price rise in last 3 years, no? Fuel prices have increased at much higher rate.

Price increases for cabs are calculated after factoring in possible increases in foresee-able future. Otherwise we would have been seeing more frequent increases.