Mumbai: Faced with stiff competition from aggregators like Ola and Uber, kaali-peelis have gone in for an upgrade with their own dedicated app. Aamchi Drive, a joint initiative by the Mumbai Taximen’s Union and the Mumbai Taxi Association, was launched by Transport Minister Diwakar Raote on Thursday.
A.L. Quadros, general secretary, Mumbai Taximen’s Union, said passengers won’t have to deal with refusals now. “There will be no surcharge and the tariff will be as fixed by the State Transport Department: ₹22 for non-AC and ₹28 for AC cabs. The customer will have to pay an extra ₹5 per trip as service charge. This will be used to cover expenses for periodically updating the app.”
The app, available on Android and iOS, will be similar to ones used by other app-based cab services. Customers can select location and type of taxi, and cab drivers in the vicinity will choose to accept the booking.
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Mr. Quadros said the driver will be informed of the destination only when the ride starts, thus eliminating chances of fare refusal. He said the taxi unions believe their drivers will have an edge as they know the city well and need not depend on GPS. Unions have been training drivers in batches of 25 since May in using the app. The app can be used to book rides for family and friends as well.
Mobikwik said it has tied up with Aamchi Drive as its official wallet partner.