Mandatory Apps for Every Tuk-Tuk — Fairer Fares or the End of the Independent Driver?

Sri Lanka's three-wheeler sector is heading into a real shift. Under the National Transport Commission (Amendment) Act, the plan is for every tuk-tuk, not just the ones already on PickMe or Uber, to eventually run through an app, with a digital trail for each trip and a welfare levy taken from drivers' earnings. The NTC's case is simple: it kills meter tampering, gives passengers a record to complain against, and brings an informal trade into the tax net. A lot of independent drivers see it differently: platforms already take a cut, fuel and spare parts cost what they cost, and now a levy on top while a stranger's app decides their fare. Passengers who've used both know the contrast - an app fare you see before you get in, against a driver you can actually negotiate with face to face at 11pm when no app has a car nearby. Would you rather every tuk-tuk ran on a fixed app fare, or do you want the option to just flag one down and talk price? And drivers, what would a welfare levy actually cost you per day once it's taken out? ඇප් එකෙන් විතරක් තුන් රෝදේ පදවන්න බලකරනවා නම්, ඔබ කැමතිද?