As the cab aggregators' strike enters 10th day with no resolution, Meru Cabs, one of the oldest ride-hailing companies, has witnessed a massive jump in the number of its driver partners. Officially registered and verified with state transport department's radio taxi scheme, it is offering a 'good deal' to the drivers, and hence, they are approaching the company in droves. Companies registered under the state transport department comply with the issued rules and regulations — they verify antecedents of drivers, offer driver training services, and all taxis have GPRS tracking facilities. Meru, earlier, had its own 'green' fleet. But after the proliferation of cab aggregators, as the situation and market changed, it made its cabs white, besides allowing driver partners to get their own vehicles, too, and giving them 'Meru' stickers to stick on. The company's checks and multi-layered verification for drivers, however, remain stringent.

New and improved
"Yes, over the last fortnight, we have been witnessing a massive jump in the number of drivers getting enlisted and willing to work with Meru. More than 12,000 driver partners have joined our platform; we are inducting them after due verification," Nilesh Sangoi, CEO of Meru Cabs, told mid-day. "At the same time, we are seeing huge demand from consumers. There is a significant spike in the number of rides booked and app registrations."