Unacceptable Treatment of Local Drivers & Exploitation at Glenross Living
On October 5, 2026, I provided a completed transport service via PickMe (Trip ID: 1554833664) from Wadduwa to Glenross Living, Neboda. The passenger I transported was hotel manager Niroshana De Silva. The final stretch to this hotel requires driving up an unmapped, extremely steep mountain road for over 2 kilometers in 1st gear, putting severe wear on vehicle clutch plates and consuming heavy fuel. Upon arriving safely at the top, the manager completely refused to pay the official fare of LKR 1,639.92. When I insisted on collecting the fare for my service, he acted aggressively and summoned hotel staff to surround and intimidate me. Fearing for my physical safety, I had no choice but to shout back and leave the property without receiving a single rupee for the drive. To make matters worse, when I called the hotel front desk to reach senior ownership and lodge an official complaint, the staff treated me with complete disrespect, transferred my call evasively to an unidentified individual, and stated it was "not their responsibility". The manager then filed a retaliatory complaint with PickMe to block my driver account and cover up his non-payment. It is deeply disgraceful for a luxury boutique retreat to allow its management team to exploit hard-working drivers, refuse payment for completed services, and use employees to intimidate local transport workers. I advise other drivers to avoid taking hires to this property, and prospective guests should be aware of how this hotel treats the local community.
By Praneeth N.