Business Today Net Special

Nothing Official, But Cool All The More

To take on the blue ‘cool cabs’ on their own turf, Mumbai’s older cabs decide it’s time to go A/C.

By Shilpa Nayak

The blue ‘cool cabs’ offering air-conditioned comfort for passengers were rolled out on the Mumbai roads about four years back, for 25 to 30 per cent extra charge as compared to normal cabs. They have competition now. Growing lineage of the older cabs are fitting their own A/Cs so as to get more business. One can spot such taxis parked outside premium hotels, restaurants, and airports as they target the commute to and from five-star hotels to Airport, town, etc.

Says A.L. Quadros, General Secretary, Bombay Taximen Union: "The older cabbies have been given an option to fit an A/C for their own purpose, like, if the driver has asthma, or a heart problem and his doctor has advised him to drive only an A/C car. But these cabbies cannot put out that Air Conditioned board on the cab like the cool cabs. Also, they can't legally charge the passenger an extra price over and above the normal meter for running the A/C." While they are not allowed to charge that extra money, the additional rewards come in form of tips from premium clientele.

The cool cab clones don't really have much of choice in terms of marketing since they don't have the permission to run A/C taxis. Its all word of mouth and unofficial tie-ups with hotels, travel agents, car hirers, etc. For the passenger, it is cheaper since a cool cab would charge him 25-30 per cent extra. And this results in generous tips for the clones.

"Since the cool cabs are not permitted to be more than two years old, some older taxis in good condition too exercise the clone option. But if the driver runs the A/C and then demands extra for running it, the passenger can complaint to RTO and action can be initiated," averts Quadros. So, unlike cool cabbies that went hi-tech with mobile phones and a control room to connect to, there is no official marketing channel for the clones. They have to work hard to get business.

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