Taxis and autos must upgrade their service skills, rather than arm-twist commuters
“The way auto and taxi drivers refuse fare left, right and centre, I wonder if being sympathetic to their cause is justified. Ever wondered why they have become so choosy and arrogant?” an angry colleague summed up his feelings when we heard that the city’s taxi and auto unions would strike work on Tuesday to oppose an app-based taxi services. We’re told all unions are together this time.
The feelings that the colleague had against the erring auto and taxi have found resonance with city commuters simply because things haven’t changed for a traditional black and yellow taxi business. They have replaced old taxis with new ones, but haven’t changed their dirty business tactics. They haven’t replaced a sheer dadagiri with some courtesy. They are still far from being called professionals. And yet, they have been aggressive in getting fares revised. They protest when the transport and police departments take action against them. They have been abusing the trade union power to make the commuters’ ride and life physically uncomfortable and mentally disturbing.
But when the city is offered convenience, comfort and no hassles, thanks to some 30,000 app-based taxis, which, for the time being are going the extra mile to ensure commuters’ satisfaction, the black and yellow and cool cab operators see red. Why? The reason is simple. More and more commuters are preferring app-based service because it not only caters to their basic needs but also adds value to their ride, albeit expensive than black and yellow cars. Agreed that app-based taxis do not accept short rides, but their longer rides offer quality that no other competition — even fleet taxis that were introduced to the city much before app-based taxis - have been able to offer. It’s a win-win situation for commuters and app-based operators.
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Black and yellow taxis are crying hoarse because their night ridership has decreased manifold for obvious reasons. Cool cabs have lost a considerable business to app-based cars. Alarmed fleet taxi services are now running app-based rides as well to make up for the losses, and they have either decreased fares by 28% or did not revise fares at all. All types, barring app-based, have 47,000 cars plying.
However, app-based taxis’ surge pricing needs to be regulated in view of a popular demand by commuters. Striking taxi unions also want this regulation in place and want the government to restrict app-based taxis in peak hours, which the government should refuse flatly, or else the commuters, who are happy to pay more, will be back to facing arm-twisting and fare refusals.
We’re told the government is aware of the unrest and is mulling a policy. The matter has become complex to conclude immediately for the government, as it is dealing with unions that have vowed to give a harrowing time to commuters, who, in turn, will blame the ruling politicians. On the other side, the government faces corporate groups of operators, including multinationals. It’s now emerging as a battle between a collective force of unruly trade unions and a systematic lobbying by app-based operators.
We’re told that the transport commissioner has been asked to prepare a policy, and the best part of this exercise will be inviting suggestions and objection from commuters. Let’s hope Mumbaikars create an unprecedented pressure and tell the government to encourage competition so that they benefit from all people in the business.
On Tuesday, auto and taxi unions will hold the city commuters to ransom as they have done successfully in the past through similar strikes and mass leave protests in BEST. This protest is planned when policy-makers will be busy transacting a legislative business in the Vidhan Bhavan. Ministers, legislators, opposition leaders and bureaucrats will not suffer much as they travel comfortably in their official and personal cars. Most MLAs will just walk a short distance between MLA hostels and Vidhan Bhavan, blissfully unaware of the troubles that employees face reaching offices like Mantralaya and Vidhan Bhavan when such a strike is called.
Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
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