Many taxi drivers on ride-sharing apps have started setting prices themselves via direct messages with customers and refusing certain trips that they think will not be profitable. (Credit: João Sousa/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — Uber drivers will go on strike between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 19, the head of the Uber drivers committee, Darwish Taha, told L'Orient Today on Friday.
Here's what we know:
• Taha told L'Orient Today that the strike is meant to protest Uber's fares, which drivers believe are too low considering the constant increases in fuel prices.
• "If we work with the current fare, we can't fill up gasoline and pay Uber's commission," Taha said. "All we want is for [Uber] to update their fares because the current price is too cheap." Uber should also hire monitors to watch the fuel prices, Taha added.
• Riders also frequently report that Bolt drivers demand more money than the price reflected on the app, due to the same reasons.
• Fuel prices normally fluctuate multiple times each week due to Lebanon's unprecedented economic crisis and the effect of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on the volatile international fuel market.