With all the commercial streets crowded and lack of parking space, many shoppers prefer to take a call taxi or an autorickshaw during festival season while venturing out for purchases. Despite the city seeing a surge in car service providers and aggregators, it is usually not easy to get one during the peak seasons.
Hema, who recently wanted to go from Brookefields Mall to the bus stand near the Government Hospital, booked an autorickshaw on one of the apps. It was cancelled twice as the distance and rate were low compared to the normal service.
Customers who get down at Gandhipuram bus stand or railway junction and want to take an autorickshaw or taxi have no option but to shell out more money many times. If one has booked for short distances, the drivers either demand the traveller to pay extra fare over and above the fare fixed by the operator or just refuse to accept that booking. Some drivers cancel the trips on their own or ask the customers to do so to avoid facing hefty penalties from the operators, says R. Sivalingam, a government servant.
Taxi and auto drivers attached to call taxi firms are fleecing passengers by demanding extra money for short distances saying that it is not feasible for them to undertake the trip for low fares – as low as ₹ 30.
Similarly, when taxi users try to use promo code offered by the upcountry operators during the lean seasons, it often meets with resistance or the drivers throw tantrums, claims another frequent user of the mobile apps for booking a taxi.
The public had bitter experience before and after the festival seasons as they couldn't book call taxis and auto rickshaws through the apps or online. Even if they book their trips, the drivers deny to operate citing low fares offered by the operators, said Veena Murugesh, a home maker.
With the aggregators giving the option to the owner-cum-driver to switch off and undertake their own trips, during peak seasons cab users found it difficult it one. Most of the time, they either got the reply that no cab was available or had to wait for longer duration after booking. The situation turned worse with many drivers going on festival holidays or extending their vacation, thus resulting in shortage of taxis just after New Year and Pongal.
V. Anand, managing director of Red Taxi, a call taxi operator from Coimbatore, said that if drivers deny plying, they would be monitored for another few rides and if they continued to do so, they would be black listed. The particular driver or the owner of the taxi would be called to the office of the Red Taxi and given counselling on how to deal with the customers.
S. Subburaj, an office-bearer of Uzhaikkum Kal Taxi Owners and Drivers Association said that nearly 1200 out of 3500 taxis plying in Coimbatore city are attached with leading call taxi aggregators. About 100 autorickshaws have also attached to the call taxi aggregators. However, their efforts to operate Call Taxis under the name UK Taxi had failed to take shape, Mr. Subburaj adds.
Joint Transport Commissioner P. Muruganandam said that over 11,600 autos and 9,500 tourist taxis were given permit in the Coimbatore district consisting five RTO jurisdictions.
