In Kyiv, the largest taxi-booking services have agreed to cap the fare multiplier at 1.75 times the base price. Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi announced the signing of a memorandum with Bolt, Uklon, Uber and OPTI. The agreement sets out limits under normal traffic conditions, as well as exceptions for situations affecting vehicle availability and pricing.
Briefly about the main points
- Price increases for journeys will be capped at a multiplier of 1.75.
- The memorandum was signed by four taxi-booking services.
- This is the cap on dynamic price increases, not a fixed tariff.
- Exceptions are provided for in the event of emergencies and severe traffic congestion.
How the maximum fare will be calculated
The agreement specifically concerns dynamic price increases, rather than the setting of a single tariff. The base cost of the journey and will continue to depend on the route, distance and the terms and conditions of the specific service.
At a multiplier of 1.75, a journey with a base fare of 200 hryvnias will cost no more than 350 hryvnias. For a base fare of 300 hryvnias, the upper limit will be 525 hryvnias.
The memorandum does not introduce state regulation of fares. It concerns an agreement with companies that provide journey booking services.
Under what circumstances might the limit not apply?
The restriction will not automatically apply to air raid alerts, major traffic jams and other circumstances that affect the availability of vehicles and the cost of journeys.
According to data from Bolt, as reported by «Interfax-Ukraine» in September, during prolonged air raid alerts, demand for journeys in Kyiv rose by an average of 30–50%. In areas with high passenger traffic, it could exceed 100%.
At the same time, the number of available drivers is falling due to safety risks, navigation issues and the difficulties of getting around the city.
What led up to the agreement with the services
The issue of sharp rises in taxi fares has become a pressing concern against a backdrop of regular of Russian shelling, traffic restrictions public transport and congestion on Kyiv’s roads.
On 22 October, when the city was facing transport disruptions, RBC-Ukraine reported a fare of 850 hryvnias for a journey from the «Osokorky» metro station to Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Uklon’s «Standard» category. On Bolt, the price quoted for a similar route was 649 hryvnias, including a discount.
Uklon had previously explained that dynamic pricing helps to attract drivers during periods of high demand. The company also warned that imposing overly strict fare caps in emergency situations could reduce the number of available vehicles.
