For cabbies it’s our way or the highway

The opposition to Goa Miles app-based taxi service by all other forms of taxis in the state including the yellow-black and tourist taxis has been gaining momentum over the weeks. While the opposition continues, the demand for a uniform taxi service is also on the rise from the industry.

Placing their strong objection to the presence of Goa Miles’s counter at the Dabolim Airport, the tourist taxis have been agitated as the executives at the counter solicit customers / guests even before they arrive at the exit point and provide the contact details of drivers, if the customers do not have the app downloaded.

Yellow - Black Taxi Association (YBTA) President Eknath Palkar said, “While they claim to be facilitation counters for the customers and the executives are suppose to promote the app and help those who wish to download the app, in reality they call out to the customers and provide them with phone numbers of drivers waiting outside. We have even complained to the police but all complaints have fallen on deaf ears.”

He further countered the argument which he says has seen taxis being bad mouthed based on claims that they are looting the customers. On this, he said that the Goa Miles Cabs are ferrying customers one way charging 10-15 per cent less and then have the option of bringing customers on their return trip. 

“We don’t have that option because our customers travel from point to point and we have to return empty. So if you look at their fares, they charge more than Rs 50 per cent extra. So while we charge around Rs 900 for two-way travel, as per their fare, they charge around Rs 800 for one-way, so two-way they charge Rs 1,600, which is Rs 700 additional charge and profit”, Eknath added.

Stating that app-based taxis have been involved in crimes since the time of their existence and that the safety of women and people in general has been a major concern, he claimed “To drive Goa Miles cab, one does not require a professional badge from the Transport Department and there is no police verification. We have to go through a tedious process to drive our taxis and registered at various places. Who and how will someone keep track of their antecedences?”

His colleagues alleged that providing a counter for the App-based taxi is illegal and there is no provision for them to be provided a counter. “Worldwide there is no app-based taxi, which has counters to book the cab, then why is the Goa government adamant in providing counters to them and defying all rules, which we have to follow and give them special treatment”, claimed a tourist taxi driver.

He further demanded that if the government is serious about resolving the fiasco then there should be uniformity across all forms of taxi operations. “Whether yellow – black, tourist taxi, app-based or rent a car, let all have uniform fares, same rules applicable for operations and let all go through the same tedious process of registration. Tourist taxi has been our family business and our father drove tourists and now my brothers and I have been doing the same. Government should think of Goans before outsourcing taxi operations to app based outside the state”, he argued.