‘Hello Drivers,’ a collective of professional drivers available on call in emergency situations, has completed five years of service in the city.
“We have been serving households with a car but without a driver on critical and emergency situations with total commitment for the last five years,” says K. Abdul Gafoor, chairman of the collective.
With around 400 registered members, of whom about 50 are active, the Hello Drivers renders its services to those who do not need a permanent driver, those who can’t yet properly drive their car for lack of experience and those who are in trouble for want of drivers on critical junctures. “A good number of the drivers of the collective are Gulf returnees, who are vetted for their credentials,” Mr. Gafoor says. New members are enrolled only after a thorough scrutiny. Only those with five years of experience are considered. Once recruited, they are given training, including trauma care. They are also made to actively involve in charitable activities like services to the sick and the poor, he says.
“In acknowledgement of the collective’s service to society, the former city police commissioner G. Sparjan Kumar had issued a special identity card for its members,” says Mr. Gafoor.
Hello Drivers had kept the fare for its services low even when the wages in different sectors had gone high in recent times.
“We have extended our services to 24 hours recently,” he says.
The service of the collective is also available to those who want help to fine-tune their driving skills.
“I got driving licence a year ago, but was afraid to be behind the wheel especially in the city until I took help from Hello Drivers to drive my newly purchased car,” says T.K. Arjun, an artist from Kuthiravattam.
As it turns five, Hello Drivers have gone a step further in the charity front.
“We have decided to take up the expense of onetime meal of the inmates of the Poor Home here once in a month,” says Mr. Gafoor. This is besides many other altruistic activities of the collective including blood donation and involvement in traffic awareness programmes.
Its services are available at 0495 3274447, 9349555433, 9744555433.
