Recently, you tried to book a VTC without success? In several major cities in France, cancellations of VTC races are increasing. A phenomenon which would be partly linked to the “approach time” and which could even inflate the bill! Explanations.
Ordering a VTC race in a few seconds on your mobile phone, on a weekday evening or on weekends, has become a reflex for many users. But lately, in several major cities in France, a growing phenomenon is beginning to annoy many customers: cancellations of VTC races!
You may have already experienced it yourself: you are on your application Uber, Bolt Freenow or Heetch, you validate your trip, the search for drivers starts, but the minutes go by without any driver taking your trip. And if you are lucky that your race is accepted, shortly after, a notification appears with a message “the driver has canceled your trip” Or “your race has been cancelled”.
Why do VTC drivers cancel their trips at the last minute?
If VTC drivers cancel their races, sometimes at the last moment, it is for very specific reasons. The various fuel price increases and poor traffic conditions in the major cities of France are part of. So, “most VTCs do not accept ‘small races’ deemed unprofitable“, explains the Union VTC union to theAFP. Since February 1, 2023, the minimum income per trip is 7.65 euros for drivers. This also explains why the waiting time is sometimes very long to obtain a VTC driver, because they are looking for the most profitable race.
Will we pay more while waiting for his Uber?
Another reason that would push VTCs to refuse or cancel races: their non-remuneration on the “approach time” of customers. Since February 2023, unions and VTC platforms have been negotiating to create an “hourly rate” which would make it possible to remunerate drivers during “approach times”. Today, when a VTC professional goes to his client, he is not paid, unlike a taxi.
And it is enough that he falls into traffic jams for the approach time to be longer than the race itself, which makes him lose money. If the discussions are successful between the unions and the platforms, it will go through an increase in the price of the races. At Parisianthe manager of a VTC company explains: “We are thinking about taking part of it on our own. Not everything will probably be passed on to the consumer”. Another piece of news that may be hard to swallow for customers!