Veezu private-hire drivers in Telford plan 'strike' protest over fare and rates increases
Drivers working for private-hire firm Veezu are set to hold a protest this week over fare rises.
Up to 250 drivers in Telford are planning to take action as the "last resort" in an escalating row over raised fees and charges with parent firm Veezu.
The drivers claim a new regime of charges which kicked in at the beginning of this month will cost them at least £30 a week - as well as hiking fees for passengers.
The new charges mean school-run passengers are now paying an extra surcharge of £1 per journey during peak hours, while drivers pay a higher percentages of their fares to parent firm Veezu, as well as increased booking fees.
The drivers have called on the firm to rethink its policy - but they say their requests have been met with silence by bosses, who have asked them to use an online portal to submit their comments.
Now the group of disgruntled drivers in Telford say they're set to stage a protest in an effort to bring Veezu to the table, with drivers demanding face-to-face talks with the company.
Around 250 drivers have backed a letter to the firm shared with the Shropshire Star this week, calling the new charges "unfair", and asking for drivers views to be heard.
"Your incremental commission charges are unfair for drivers who work for Veezu part-time, and also for existing drivers who are currently charged 18 per cent commission. Your cap has also increased which drivers feel is unfair, especially when costs are rising everywhere," they wrote.
"We feel these changes are not warranted and strongly oppose them.
"We ask that you take our views into consideration and we are disappointed that you are not allowing for any discussions face to face. We understand that businesses have large overheads such as call centre staff.
"Veezu, as a large organisation, can always absorb these costs better than drivers can."
Veezu was formerly known as Go Carz in Telford, Shrewsbury and the West Midlands, before a rebrand to Veezu last year. National firm Veezu took over Go Carz in 2020, and has around 1,700 drivers across the region.
Veezu did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday afternoon (September 8).
