印度首都叫停優步高峯期定價

India’s capital city said it was banning “surge pricing” by US-based taxi-hailing app Uber and its local rival Ola, highlighting the challenges the companies still face in what they see as a vast, potentially lucrative market.

印度首都德里表示，將禁止總部位於美國的叫車應用優步(Uber)及本土競爭對手Ola實行“高峯期定價”。此舉凸顯出在這個被這些企業視爲巨大且潛在有利可圖的市場，它們依然面臨着種種挑戰。

Surge pricing is a computer-driven, dynamic pricing system — similar to the one used by airlines — that raises fares when demand for rides outstrips the supply of available taxis.

高峯期定價是一種由電腦實施的動態定價體系——與航空公司的定價體系類似，這種定價體系會在搭乘需求超過等待載客的出租車的供應量時提高車費。

In India, that means cab fares may rise six to seven times higher than the base fare at peak periods. The taxi aggregating companies say the higher fares help balance demand and supply.

在印度，這種機制意味着高峯期的車費可能會升至基礎車費的六到七倍。這幾家調度出租車的企業表示，較高的車費有助於平衡需求與供給。

But Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s chief minister, called surge pricing “daylight robbery” in a series of tweets and said it would not be permitted in the Indian capital, where both Ola and Uber have developed large fleets.

然而，德里首席部長阿爾溫德•凱傑裏瓦爾(Arvind Kejriwal)在Twitter上發佈一系列消息稱，高峯期定價是“光天化日下的搶劫”，並表示印度首都不會允許這種做法。目前，Ola和優步在德里都發展了大規模車隊。

“Some taxis are saying they will not provide a cab if they are not allowed to loot,” Mr Kejriwal said. “This is open blackmailing and the government will not let that happen.”

凱傑裏瓦爾表示：“有些出租車公司表示，如果不允許他們賺這個外快，他們就不會出車。這是公開勒索，政府不會允許這種事情發生。”

Mr Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi (Common Man) party government is considering setting a “price band” that places limits on what taxi-hailing apps may charge. Indian authorities also set the fares of standard taxis and autorickshaws, keeping a lid on prices, while simultaneously restricting the number of taxi and rickshaw licences to keep supply tight.

凱傑裏瓦爾的平民黨(Aam Aadmi party)政府正在考慮制定“價格區間”，對叫車應用的收費加以限制。印度當局也爲標準的出租車和三輪摩托制定了收費標準，確保車費有一定上限。同時，印度當局還嚴格限制出租車和三輪摩托的牌照，以確保供應處於緊張狀態。

Surge pricing by taxi aggregators — who have put tens of thousands of private taxis on the streets — aggravated Mr Kejriwal last week, as New Delhi began the second phase of its anti-air pollution “odd-even” scheme. The scheme restricts the use of private cars in the city to every other day, depending on their licence plate number.

在新德里開始實施對抗空氣污染的“單雙號”計劃第二階段之際，出租車召集公司（這些公司向大街小巷投放數萬輛私人出租車）的高峯期定價在上週惹惱了凱傑裏瓦爾。“單雙號”計劃限制私家車在德里只能依照牌照的號碼隔天使用。

As demand for Uber and Ola taxis soared as a result, so did complaints about surge pricing. On Monday, Mr Kejriwal threatened “strict action”, including cancelling the permits and impounding vehicles charging more than government-prescribed rates.

由於“單雙號”計劃導致對優步和Ola出租車需求激增，人們對高峯期定價的投訴也急劇增加。本週一，凱傑裏瓦爾威脅要“採取嚴厲措施”，其中包括撤銷許可證，以及沒收收費高於政府規定價格的車輛。

After his warning both companies said they were suspending surge pricing during the “odd-even” pilot programme, due to end on April 30. Delhi commuters then appealed to Mr Kejriwal to ban surge pricing in the capital permanently, which he says he will do.

在凱傑裏瓦爾提出警告之後，兩家企業均表示，在“單雙號”計劃試行期間暫停實施高峯期定價，試行階段定於4月30日結束。在兩家企業表態之後，德里的通勤者呼籲凱傑裏瓦爾永久禁止在該市實施高峯期定價，後者也表示將會這麼做。

“We are not against taxi aggregators. We fully support them. But they will have to follow law,” the chief minister tweeted.

這位首席部長在Twitter上發消息稱：“我們不是反對出租車召集公司。我們完全支持它們。不過它們必須遵守法律。”