Safety of passengers who hire a cab, especially women, has been in the headlines across the country following the alleged rape incident in Delhi recently.
In Coimbatore, which has over 15 call taxi operators and cab aggregators, the trend is usually of passengers hiring taxis for regular pick up and drop of school students, those who come to the city by train, and office-goers. While it is common for call taxis and cab aggregators to check the condition and comfort of vehicles, there does not seem to be any standard system for verification of drivers.
Each call taxi operator has a procedure while selecting drivers. A leading call taxi fleet does not employ drivers from other districts, as it is difficult to verify their background. Some operators take custody of the driver’s licence to have a hold on the drivers, while there are others who get written assurances from two persons known to drivers, before employing them.
The police say their role is limited in verifying the driver’s background. However, they suggest that the companies should contact the previous employers of the drivers or have a dedicated team to check the background of drivers.
In the case of commuters, the police say they should have contact numbers of the family or friends in the speed dial list of their mobile phones, and should avoid hiring call taxis which are on the move. On the other hand, call taxi operators should brief new customers on safety measures in place in the vehicle – such as panic buttons – when the taxi is hired.
(Reporting by M.K. Ananth)
