Tired of not getting cabs at peak hours? Two new cab services will solve your problem
- Two new cab services will vie for a share of the private cab services market in Bengaluru
- Hi Cabs, one of the new cab service providers, was launched last month and already has 2,000 drivers and 2,500 users
- The second cab service provider will be backed by former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, and it will be called HDK Cabs
FollowWith the already burgeoning cab services in the city, two new cab services will vie for a share of the private cab services market.
Hi Cabs, one of the new cab service providers, was launched last month without much fanfare. Their app already has 2,000 drivers and 2,500 users. Joe Mathews, who earlier worked as senior director of Pan India operations for Ola, vice president of Meru, heads Hi Cabs.
The second cab service provider will be backed by former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, and it will be called HDK Cabs.
After cab drivers disgruntled with Ola and Uber had staged a series of protests in January and February, a union led by JD(S) worker Tanveer Pasha was formed. However, differences emerged, and some members led by Kiran Gowda of Karunada Rajya Taxi Drivers and Owners Association came out. Both started working on their own apps.
Pasha said to Deccan Herald that Savetur Digital Pvt Ltd, which runs TYGR cabs in Kolkata, will run HDK Cabs. “We plan to launch it by July end, and Kumaraswamy will take the final call,” he said.
“Drivers pay 30% of their earnings, including tax, to Ola and Uber. We will limit it to 10%. There are plans to provide various benefits to drivers,” he said.
Mathews says that they are concerned with drivers’ welfare and are not trying to compete with other profit-oriented cab services. He said that the fare will be constant always regardless of peak hours.
The drivers will get Rs 5 lakh life insurance, Rs 5 lakh accident insurance, 2 lakh medical insurance. Besides the drivers will get free oil service for their cabs after every 8,000 km (Rs 4,500), vehicle insurance (Rs 25,000) and yearly road tax (Rs 2,000).
Pasha said that their cab service would charge Rs 12.50 per km for hatchbacks and Rs 14.50 for sedans. They will also provide free water bottles, free wifi and two free rides every year.
