Last month, two leading cab aggregators launched app-based autorickshawbooking facility in the city. In addition to choosing from the cab services, customers had the option of booking an autorickshaw from their mobile phone. This helped the aggregators expand their customer base.
According to Mahesh Muraleedharan, general manager for South Expansion of Uber India, taxis and autorickshaws have a different customer base. “The new service also helps new customers explore other services offered by us and there is no competition among the other services offered by us.”
These aggregators offer their autorickshaw service for Rs. 3 per kilometre, which is much less than the Rs. 12 per km fixed by the government. Autorickshaw drivers have the option to log in and log out of the aggregator’s network anytime. Drivers log in during the non-peak hours when they do not get regular trips. For the drivers attached to the aggregators, there was strong opposition from autorickshaw drivers in the same stands who are used to fleecing customers.
Taxi and autorickshaw drivers who initially considered the app-based booking a tough competition have now said that not many autorickshaw drivers have joined the aggregators. It is because the aggregators do not seem to have been successful in roping in many autorickshaw drivers.
However, the aggregators are hopeful of increasing the fleet to meet the growing demand from three-wheeler commuters.
On the other hand, customers also allege hardships in booking an autorickshaw ride through the aggregators.
A customer had to wait for more than 90 minutes for his ride. Four autorickshaw drivers supposed to pick him (one after the other) dropped the trip on learning that he had to travel a distance of 11 km.
“They cancelled trips if the request is from a customer who is more than five km distances. Drivers ask me to cancel the trip but I refused to do. The last time I cancelled a trip Rs. 30 was added to my bill in the next ride,” one of the commuters said.
While Rs. 3 or Rs. 8 per km sounds less than the fare fixed by the government, the aggregators charge Rs. 30 as fixed base fare and Rs. 1 per minute in addition to the rate for the said distance. This makes the trips costlier than other autorickshaws operating by meter fare.
According to Mahesh Muraleedharan, general manager for South Expansion of Uber India, taxis and autorickshaws have a different customer base. “The new service also helps new customers explore other services offered by us and there is no competition among the other services offered by us.”
These aggregators offer their autorickshaw service for Rs. 3 per kilometre, which is much less than the Rs. 12 per km fixed by the government. Autorickshaw drivers have the option to log in and log out of the aggregator’s network anytime. Drivers log in during the non-peak hours when they do not get regular trips. For the drivers attached to the aggregators, there was strong opposition from autorickshaw drivers in the same stands who are used to fleecing customers.
Taxi and autorickshaw drivers who initially considered the app-based booking a tough competition have now said that not many autorickshaw drivers have joined the aggregators. It is because the aggregators do not seem to have been successful in roping in many autorickshaw drivers.
However, the aggregators are hopeful of increasing the fleet to meet the growing demand from three-wheeler commuters.
On the other hand, customers also allege hardships in booking an autorickshaw ride through the aggregators.
A customer had to wait for more than 90 minutes for his ride. Four autorickshaw drivers supposed to pick him (one after the other) dropped the trip on learning that he had to travel a distance of 11 km.
“They cancelled trips if the request is from a customer who is more than five km distances. Drivers ask me to cancel the trip but I refused to do. The last time I cancelled a trip Rs. 30 was added to my bill in the next ride,” one of the commuters said.
While Rs. 3 or Rs. 8 per km sounds less than the fare fixed by the government, the aggregators charge Rs. 30 as fixed base fare and Rs. 1 per minute in addition to the rate for the said distance. This makes the trips costlier than other autorickshaws operating by meter fare.