Autos now a click away

  • Barnali Dutta / FG
  • India
  • Mar 27, 2015

After Ola Cabs it is now the turn of Ola Autos. This on-demand three-wheeler commuter service, currently in service in Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune, was launched in Delhi NCR a few months back. As with cabs, the service is available via the Ola app (Android and iOS), and users have to pay the auto rickshaw driver directly – they cannot use Ola Money. Apart from the meter fare, the users will have to pay a Rs. 10 ‘convenience fee’. Although currently the Ola Autos are available only in limited numbers, the Company has positioned its service as something quite ‘different’ from the existing three-wheeler passenger service available in Delhi NCR. According to Company sources, a pilot project will assess the requirement before the Company expands its service. “Most importantly, we are here to offer a safe alternative to commuters,” says a Company source, reinforcing a key customer requirement today. The Company is reportedly offering basic training on etiquette to auto rickshaw drivers. Ola Cabs, the parent company, is learnt to be offering each auto driver a minimum ‘salary’ of Rs. 10,000, and another Rs. 1,500 as mobile charges, per month. Priya Sharma, who works at a private firm and has availed this new service, says," I was not aware of this facility till recently. While surfing the Internet I chanced upon the Ola Auto service. I normally hire a cab, but decided to try Ola Auto for a change. It was smooth and fast. The good thing also is that the rates are not too high.” Rishabh, a resident of U Block, too was delighted to find a friendly auto service in the neighborhood. “I think it’s a great idea and should become more popular in due course,” he says. “Of course the drivers appear pleasant, but the Company should ensure that driver quality remains consistent, especially as demand picks up. They need to inspire confidence, especially among women,” he says. Ola Cabs are currently not allowed to ply in Delhi, following the issues related to the recent rape by a ‘Uber taxi driver’.

Interestingly, the Auto module of Ola works much like the transport department’s Pooch-O. However, unlike the free DIMTS app, Ola charges customers a fee of Rs 10 for providing ‘information’ on nearby auto rickshaws. Based on the GPS location of the three-wheelers that are registered with the Company, details are sent to customers, along with an estimated time of arrival. According to Company sources, the autos are available for ‘immediate booking’ only. Commuters should thus ideally look for an auto about 10 minutes before they need a ride. The Company website says, ‘We have also decided to give Delhi autos a tech upgrade! Now get an auto right from the Ola app without having to step out to find one. No haggling, no negotiation and no hassles. Pay by meter as per government mandated fares, in cash’. Ola follows Taxi For Sure, which had unveiled its auto rickshaw services in the middle of January and claims that it has already registered nearly 500 autos for its services. Taxi For Sure hopes to launch a detailed driver rating & feedback system soon. During the launch of the Auto service the Company had mentioned that it intends to leverage its technology prowess and operational excellence. It also intends to focus on customer delight and ensure that the Indian customer always has a safe, convenient and economical commute solution. The Company, which works along with a non-profit organisation in Bengaluru, believes that its service will not only ensure better commuting experience for passengers, but will also create a secure livelihood for the auto rickshaw drivers - most of whom do not own the vehicle and are often prone to exploitation by the owners. “There are different kinds of autos now plying in the area - ‘Shared Autos’, ‘Yellow Autos’, ‘Pink Autos’…and now OLA Autos. The black multi-passenger shared autos are still predominant because of their easy availability. But the new services are catching up. After the Uber case we have stopped trusting taxi agencies. All agencies, especially the new ones, need to be more transparent. The level of vigilance, both by the authorities and the agencies, will need to significantly gear up, to help instill a higher level of confidence among the users. Auto drivers will have to be subjected to stricter checks,” says a regular auto user section of students of Sec 14 Girls Govt. College. It’s high time the public, especially women, is able to get a convenient, affordable and safe ride on the roads – as a rule, not an exception.

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