Commuters in the city will have an alternative to taxi aggregators Ola and Uber by the end of the month.
The new entrant started as a collective effort by disgruntled drivers themselves, will most likely be named Namma TYGR and promises fixed fares, a major win for customers that the other aggregators have not been able to offer to date.
Around 25,000 drivers have already signed up for the service.
The new entrant is the result of the efforts of several drivers who have been continuously protesting against Ola and Uber alleging that the companies were responsible for them falling into a debt trap. “Even today, thousands of drivers have returned to their villages and many more have had their cars repossessed. We wanted to reach out to these drivers and offer them a more transparent and fixed income,” says Tanveer Pasha, former president of the OlaTaxiforSureUber (OTU) Drivers and Owners’ Association who will serve on the board of directors for the new company.
The initiative , supported by JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, will offer customers a flat rate. “These fares will be the same 24x7 and will not change based on demand,” Mr. Pasha said.
The service will be managed by Kolkata-based firm Savetur Digital Private Limited, which will set up Huli Technologies as its local subsidiary. Savetur will also provide it's TYGR app platform for the driver and customer interface. Around ₹7-8 crore will be invested by the firm into the service.
“We have signed an agreement with them to have a committee of around seven drivers who will be able to give inputs on important company decisions. This will help keep the focus firmly on providing drivers benefits,” Mr. Pasha said.
