Demand increases for cabs

Its that time of the year when people plan their annual vacations. This is also one of the peak seasons for the tourism sector.

Call taxis and tourist cab operators in the city are seeing nearly 30 % increase in their bookings for trips ahead of summer season this year.

There are about 9,500 tourist taxis plying in the city. Of these, nearly 1,500 are attached to leading call taxi aggregators. Drivers of most of the tourist cabs are owner-cum-drivers.

V. Anand, managing director of Red Taxi, told The Hindu that the call taxi aggregators received nearly 30 % increase in bookings, with customers from across the country asking for cabs. Most of the bookings were made for the Nilgiris or to go to Kerala from Coimbatore, he said. The upward trend in demand would continue till the end of May or the first week of June , he said.

However, Mani, manager of a leading tourist cab operator in the city, said they had not received a single advance booking so far ahead of this summer. The enquiries might come when the examinations for school children end during the second week of April.

He fears that the ongoing agitations for establishment of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) across the State and the soaring temperature might hit tourist inflow into the State.

S. Antony Raj, an acting driver and facilitator of acting drivers to tourist cab operators, and private car owners, said there were more than 60 acting drivers serving the needy in the city alone. Of these, 22 acting drivers were active under his supervision.

They had advance bookings up to April 19 as of now and expect all of them would have good demand during this summer.