The opposition from the All Goa Yellow Black Taxi Association comes just a week after the All Goa Tourist Taxi Association had reiterated their opposition to the app-based service. The latest salvo came on the day that the app-based service announced that it had begun enrolling the yellow and black cabs into the service.
The opposition to the service is confused, as the taxi operators believe that the app-based service of GoaMiles is eating into their business share. There is, however, the other side which believes that the service is beneficial to the local operators, who can increase their business, while giving clients a hassle-free ride. The promoters of the app-based service claim that by bringing the yellow and black taxis into the service, cabs that remain without trips for days at a stretch will benefit, as they could get up to six trips a day. The day is also not far when the promoters of the business will add auto rickshaws and motorcycle pilots to the app service.
We are currently in the era when digital services are occupying the space of the traditional methods of doing business across all spheres. The business remains the same, with no change other than that there is now an aggregator that controls the business operation part. The taxi operators remain unchanged, they are still getting their rides and their earnings, and as a benefit could see an increase their profits, as the number of rides they get have the potential to rise through the digital system. If this is the case, then an app-based system should actually be welcomed by the taxi operators.
The benefits of the system, including the profitability, would be computable only after the service has been operational for a certain period of time. The app is relatively new in the State, not even a year old, so there may not be enough data to make a comparison, but based on the profitability that such services in other Indian cities have posted, and the increasing number of travellers who prefer this form of taxi services across the country, it can be assumed that the benefits would also percolate to the Goa operators opting for this service.
The taxi operators in the State have to remain open to the changes in the manner in which businesses are being managed and run today. The digital era is overtaking the past, and any rigid stance against the revolution being brought about by the digital world will delay the transition to this system. It is advisable to enter it now, than be left behind. There is one flaw in the argument of the taxi operators – according to them they are losing their business to the app-based taxi operators. Is this then an admission that the app-based system is providing a better service that travellers are opting for?
In a competitive market, both systems can occupy space and the one that provides a better service will emerge the victor. Let the traveller be the judge of this, and see which system he opts for. With a special taxi service app only for Goa, tourists have to download this specially on arrival in the State, so if they are willing to do so, then it will reveal their choice of transportation when holidaying in Goa. It is the need to make travel in the State friendly to the client as well as to the service provider. If an app-based system does provide this, should there be any reason to oppose it?
