Calculation of ‘waiting time’ charge stumps commuters

Mumbai: Whenever a meter shows inflated readings, most auto drivers come up with a similar one-liner: "The meter has shot up since the vehicle waited at the signal for so long". Most passengers find this difficult to argue with as there is zero awareness on how to calculate the waiting charge. 

    Consumer activist Shirish Deshpande said, "The waiting charge is not even mentioned on the official tariff card. I feel commuters should stop paying it unless they see the time the auto had to wait at signals or in a traffic snarl." 
    In the new e-meter, one can always insist on seeing the waiting time after a journey is completed. There are three things displayed on any RTO approved e-meter — the exact fare, the distance travelled and the clock. The clock alternates with the waiting time. So, whenever the driver applies the brakes, is stuck in a traffic jam or at a signal, the waiting time indicator is flashed on and you can see the time ticking in seconds. At the end of the journey, the fare for the waiting period is added. However, the same cannot be seen in a mechanical meter. 
    However, the waiting time is not added to the final distance covered. "The waiting time can be converted into distance and can be added to the distance slab. But this is not done. Instead, the meter only adds the final amount for the waiting period to the final fare," said Deshpande. This creates confusion.