Drivers Protest Green SM (Vinfast's Electric Taxi Service) Not Paying Promised Salaries [Video]
Vietnamese car manufacturer VinFast entered the cab segment with its Green SM initiative. As part of this initiative, the company introduced a fleet of company-owned VinFast Limo Green EVs. However, just weeks after the launch, it appears that Green SM has hit a rough patch. Multiple videos and reports have surfaced online showing drivers complaining and protesting over not receiving the salaries they were promised.
The video circulating online shows a group of Green SM drivers protesting against what they describe as unfair treatment. In the video, all of them can be seen wearing the uniforms provided by the company, while several Limo Green MPVs are parked behind them.
The drivers are primarily complaining about delayed payouts. According to them, they have been operating the cabs within the city for the last three to four weeks but have not yet received their payments.
The video also alleges that the Limo Green MPVs were not provided with active FASTags, and even the vehicles equipped with FASTags reportedly did not have sufficient balance. As a result, drivers claim they have been paying toll charges and MCD taxes from their own pockets.
While many drivers are concerned about not receiving their salaries at all, others claim they have not received the promised amount. One driver alleges that he received only Rs 700 in his wallet after driving the vehicle for 20 days. Another driver claims that he received only around Rs 1,100.
According to the drivers, the company had initially promised that they would receive approximately 35 percent of the fare from every trip. However, they allege that only 33 percent has been transferred to them. Several drivers also claimed that the company has been frequently revising its policies and introducing new conditions that work in its favour. Some have alleged that additional requirements have been introduced for drivers to qualify for the minimum guaranteed income scheme.
The drivers featured in the video appear visibly frustrated, with many claiming that they are losing money rather than earning any. Those who joined Green SM were reportedly promised a "Minimum Business Guarantee Income" of Rs 35,000 per month, or Rs 1,346 per day for 26 working days a month, for the first two months. This guarantee was said to be applicable regardless of the number of bookings or trips completed. After the initial two-month period, earnings were expected to be linked to performance and incentives. The company was also expected to process payouts every Tuesday.
Many drivers were attracted to Green SM because they did not need to own a vehicle to work on the platform. Unlike Uber and Rapido, Green SM owns the vehicles operating under its service. Approximately 1,000 Limo Green EVs have reportedly been deployed across the Delhi-NCR region.
In the videos currently circulating online, the drivers can be heard repeatedly expressing frustration over delayed payments despite making multiple requests to the company. They are requesting every GSM driver to stop working and gather at one place as a protest against the delay in payments. At the moment, these allegations are based on the claims made by the drivers seen in the videos. It remains to be seen whether Green SM or VinFast issues an official response regarding the matter. We hope the concerned authorities and the company address these concerns and work towards resolving the issue at the earliest.