Cab drivers working through ride hailing platforms are banding together to lobby for better working conditions as they fear the industry may soon collapse.  

The drivers are setting up a cooperative and have already had interest from hundreds of their fellow chauffeurs working in the gig economy.  

“If we don’t do something soon there won’t be many Maltese drivers left in this sector and those left in the industry will be working in increasingly poor conditions. It’s just getting worse and worse,” driver Aron Gatt told Times of Malta. 

The cooperative will represent drivers of Y-plate cabs used on ride hailing platforms such as Bolt and Uber, a recent entrant to the market, as well as ride sharing apps such as Cool. It will not include white taxis, which have long had their own representation successfully lobbying authorities in the past.

Drivers working on apps, however, say they are being squeezed dry and are unable to lobby for change individually.

The cooperative will represent drivers of Y-plate cabs used on ride hailing platforms such as Bolt and Uber, as well as ride sharing apps like Cool.

Flanked by other platform drivers, Gatt says that when he was first approached to work in the sector, it seemed attractive. 

So much so that he made a hefty investment as do most drivers on the service.

He could pick his own hours and the returns seemed reasonable. 

But fellow driver Ritianne Attard says that while the passenger market – the number of people looking for rides – has only grown marginally, the number of drivers has ballooned. 

As drivers compete for an ever-shrinking slice of the same pie, they have to spend longer hours on the road to make the money they had first made working “humane” hours. 

“We are getting to a point where some drivers are working very long shifts – even 18 hours behind the wheel – to make enough,” Attard said. 

Drivers also face the possibility of abusive customers.

Complaints to the respective platforms are often ignored and persistent drivers have been blocked from being able to work through the app, they said.

The drivers also want to introduce basic quality standards. 

“To get a permit to operate you are supposed to have been driving in Malta for five years. But we are hearing stories of drivers who don’t even know where parts of the country are. We are saying we have to have standards in this sector,” Attard said. 

The drivers were inspired by the recent action taken by food couriers who protested against salaries and working conditions.

Food couriers went on strike last month saying they are only paid €2.10 per delivery and only manage to make around 10 deliveries per day, working 11-hour long days.

Despite their objections, couriers working with one of the leading platforms, Bolt food, will not be earning more money per delivery, the company confirmed this month.

Cab drivers hope that by uniting they will be able to lobby for better conditions. They will also be able to lobby the authorities and file complaints on behalf of drivers with the police. 

Drivers interested in joining the fledgling cooperative can send an email on cabs.cooperative@yahoo.com or call on a dedicated mobile number 79350631.