• NTC to plug legislative gaps with guidelines and regulations
• PickMe claims passenger safety is paramount and that it has a process to address complaints; Uber has not responded
• NTC operates 24/7 hotline 1955 or WhatsApp number 071 259 5555 for complaints

Even as ride-hailing services continue to become an indispensable part of transport in Sri Lanka, the ambiguity of the laws and regulations governing these services has become a cause for concern, especially when it comes to passenger safety.

Concerns about personal safety have been a recurring issue with ride-hailing services, with women in particular being vulnerable to potential incidents when using rideshare transportation. 

A legal loophole

When questioned about the regulation governing the drivers of such ride-hailing services, National Transport Commission (NTC) Director General Commander (Retd) Dr. Nilan Miranda noted that there was a legal loophole in terms of regulations surrounding drivers on ride-hailing services, sharing however that they planned to introduce regulation to address this segment.

“We don’t have any regulations for this segment. With the NTC (Amendment) Act No.8 of 2025, we will be regulating three-wheelers, school services, and office transport. There’s another segment for taxi drivers, and ride-hailing services such as Uber and PickMe come under the taxi segment.

“By regulating three-wheelers and taxis, they will automatically fall under these regulations. But at the moment, although the act has been passed, the regulations and guidelines have yet to be gazetted. 

“We are currently in the process of formulating these regulations – I received the draft recently. We are now studying these regulations and fine-tuning them. After finalising them, we will get the Minister’s approval,” he said.

Regular incidents 

Globally, safety issues involving ride-hailing platforms are well documented. For instance, ride-hailing giant Uber’s last US Safety Report for 2021 and 2022 on its US platform found 36 physical assault fatalities, as well as 2,717 incidents “across the most serious categories of sexual assault and misconduct,” with 31% of sexual assault incidents reported against riders and 68% reported against drivers.

In Sri Lanka as well, social media continues to be rife with customer complaints about distressing experiences involving drivers on ride-hailing services.

One such user, issuing a complaint via social media to a ride-hailing platform about the harassment his girlfriend had received at the hands of a three-wheeler driver, noted: “He stopped in a dark place, acted threateningly, and followed her into a store. Immediate suspension of the driver and vehicle is required. Safety is critical.”

Another female user of one such service, speaking on condition of anonymity, detailed to The Sunday Morning how her safety had been compromised due to unchecked driver behaviour and a lack of sufficiently proactive measures taken by the ride-hailing company.

“I ordered a three-wheeler through a ride-hailing platform. The destination was about five minutes away and the driver was about 10 minutes away. Since a friend offered to drop me off, I decided to cancel the request for a ride. When I came home, I got a call directly on my personal mobile number saying the driver was at the location. I politely explained that I had cancelled the ride.

“A few minutes later, I received a text message with filthy language. A lawyer friend advised against making a Police complaint since the driver knew my home and mobile number and urged me to first submit a complaint through the app.” She also pointed out that the driver had favourable ratings on the app when she had booked him.

Thereafter, the company had called her immediately, and following an explanation regarding the incident, it had promised follow-up action and to inform her regarding the next steps.

“I was worried about potentially getting the same driver again if I used a three-wheeler,” she said, noting that her prime concern was to ensure that she would not be assigned the same driver again.

Finally, after sending follow-up inquiries, she had simply received a message saying that the ticket had been closed. However, after posting her story on social media, she had later been contacted by the company and informed that the driver had been blacklisted and was no longer able to use the app. Moreover, the company had revealed that there had been previous complaints against the driver as well.

Nevertheless, she stressed that she would not be reusing the service again, describing it as a case of broken trust vis-à-vis her ‘agreement’ with the company in using the app, since the company had failed to vet the driver and ensure satisfactory follow-up action.

This is not an isolated experience when it comes to ride-hailing services, especially for women, which highlights the persistent nature of the problem. In this context, the transparency and implementation of processes by ride-hailing services to ensure the safety of their riders becomes crucial.

PickMe response

Despite attempts to reach out to Uber Sri Lanka, no response was received at the time of going to print. Meanwhile, PickMe, responding to a query regarding the process that takes place when a complaint is received about an abusive driver, stressed that “passenger safety remains the company’s primary concern”.

“Each complaint is treated seriously and reviewed individually. The company considers the gravity of the complaint, any repeat offences, and the outcome of investigations. Drivers may be retained if they have responded positively to corrective measures like training, but repeated or serious issues lead to stronger actions,” it said.

Outlining the process of dealing with complaints, it noted: “When a complaint involving abuse, harassment, or safety is received, it is escalated immediately for investigation. The driver is temporarily suspended while the matter is reviewed, and depending on the findings, disciplinary actions, including permanent deactivation, may be taken. Law enforcement is supported where necessary and users are contacted quickly, kept informed, and encouraged to file a Police complaint if they haven’t already.”

Moreover, in order to enhance safety for female users, PickMe offers features like an in-app emergency button that connects directly to its safety team, along with a 24/7 safety hotline.

In cases where any wrongdoing takes place, driver sanctions are determined by the nature and seriousness of misconduct. “Depending on the severity and recurrence, consequences can vary from warnings and temporary suspensions to permanent removal, especially when user safety is compromised,” the company said.

However, repeat offenders remain a concern, as highlighted by user experiences. In this regard, the company noted that retention decisions were made only after a thorough evaluation of the complaint’s validity, the driver’s history, and any corrective steps taken.

“While efforts are made to be fair to drivers, the process ultimately centres on ensuring rider safety. In cases where misconduct is serious or recurring, permanent removal is enforced without compromise,” it said.

NTC’s role

With the passage of the NTC (Amendment) Bill in June, the amendments broadened the regulatory authority of the commission, since prior to the amendment, the NTC had jurisdiction only over interprovincial private bus services.

The amendment allows the commission to regulate a wider range of transport services including school vans, office vans, three-wheelers, and goods transport vehicles. It also allows for the creation of new institutions required for that purpose.

According to NTC Director General Dr. Miranda, in instances of abusive drivers, the public can lodge complaints through the 24/7 1955 hotline or the WhatsApp number 071 259 5555.

“At the moment, as per the existing act, our regulation covers only public passengers travelling in buses, so we accept complaints regarding drivers in this segment, either in the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) or private sector, and we conduct investigations into complaints. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, we have a system to provide some training or even take action to cancel the permit in case of a repeated violation.”