Over the years, as Kathmandu valley sprawled and traffic congestions got worse, its residents struggled to find a safe and reliable means of transport. This is where ride-sharing apps came handy, providing hassle-free, fast and convenient journeys. According to the Auditor General’s April report, there are currently 25 ride-hailing companies doing business in Nepal, with Pathao, InDrive, and Tootle among the most preferred ones. However, with their growing popularity, the dark underbelly of the ride-sharing services is also coming into view.

These days, many offline riders carry passengers without using ride-sharing apps. This practice has flourished due to passengers’ urge to save money through bargains and riders’ desire to make some extra bucks by bypassing the ride-sharing apps. In this case, the riders don’t pay commissions to the ride-sharing companies and charge as much as they want.

Unfortunately, offline riders have of late given rise to many safety concerns. This year alone, police have detained many such offline riders who were involved in criminal activities and misbehaviour. Earlier this year, a woman was killed in Kapan, Kathmandu, and a police investigation found that an offline ride was used. In another case, when a bus in Machhapokhari, Kathmandu, hit a scooter, a pillion rider died, and the offline rider fled. Taking offline drives means passengers cannot claim insurance in case of accidents, as the rides are not registered through the app. By contrast, a passenger hailing a ride through the Pathao app, for instance, can get loss, damage and medical insurance. Also, in the case of criminal activities, these offline drivers are hard to trace.

It has been more than six years since ride-sharing apps entered Nepal, but the government still seems to have no clue about how to regulate them. The steps of Bagmati Province to bring them under law failed miserably as its provisions contradicted the federal Motor Vehicles and Transportation Management Act-1993, which says private vehicles cannot be used for public transport services. Consequently, these apps are neither registered nor pay tax. Even though the Department of Transport Management has supposedly drafted guidelines for two-wheelers used as public transport, no one has seen the document.

The ride-sharing companies have indeed made people’s lives easier and created countless jobs (Pathao has around 150,000 registered drivers with 60,000 daily trips; InDrive undertakes 29,300 daily rides). However, they should also take the responsibility to monitor and hold riders providing offline services accountable. They must also do more to make people aware of the drawbacks of offline rides. Likewise, these companies can provide easy ways to book rides, especially for those who struggle with online apps. In order to keep people from opting for offline rides, discount schemes and low prices could be effective too. But in the case of riders who have not registered with any company, it is upon the government to crack down on them.

The countries with vibrant ride-sharing culture like the US, China, India and Bangladesh all have enforceable laws to run ride-sharing companies, ensuring passenger security and easy ride away from crammed public buses and expensive taxis. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s party, CPN (Maoist Centre), pledged to bring ride-sharing apps under law before the November 2022 election. As the problems related to offline ride-sharing have only gotten worse with time, on the first anniversary of his third stint in office, Dahal would do well to recall his party’s promise. He and his government must act before there is another unfortunate accident.