Now, Online cabs in Kochi are used for 'door delivery'

Online taxi drivers in Kochi often get calls to deliver packages  Union discourages drivers from transporting goods The practice is also likely to invite legal complications

Online taxi service is finding a new purpose in Kochi after people started booking cabs for parcel delivery. Kochites have started booking online cabs for getting small packages delivered at locations within the city. 

“A person booked my cab and asked me to deliver a dinner set. He just gave me a number so that I can follow up after reaching location. No one accompanied me, and he was fine with handing over the package to me,” said a taxi driver. 

Times of India reports that there were several similar incidents, where people relied on online taxis to deliver small packages. “Recently a hotel made an online booking and asked the cab driver to deliver some biryani packets to a location which was just three kilometres away. Several drivers had said that they often get booked to deliver goods,” the driver said. 

However, online taxi drivers union is not happy with the new development. Association secretary Navas Ponnani said it discourages drivers from transporting packages. There is a possibility of getting into serious troubles. The driver would be held responsible for the content and safety of packets. Further, the cabs are registered as passenger vehicles and not goods vehicles, he said. 

Cars that are not registered as goods vehicles cannot be engaged in transporting packages. However, food items do not come under the purview of goods as per Motor Vehicles Act, regional transport officer said.