Kolkata: Yellow cabs take tech route to fleece you

KOLKATA: In order to counter the rising number of app cabs in the city, Kolkata’s iconic yellow taxis are trying to beat them using their own app.
When a young couple, who went shopping to a popular mall on Elgin Road on Tuesday, tried to book an app cab to return home near Behala Chowrasta, they encountered a “surge pricing” of Rs 290. Finding the fare to be a bit too much, the husband approached the yellow cabs parked nearby.




One refused outright. However, the next one agreed to go but without turning on the meter and asked for Rs 220. When the couple tried to reason that this was much higher than what the meter reading would be, the cabby took out his smartphone and logged on to the Uber app. He showed them that not only was there a surge pricing, but also the car was at least 15 minutes away. “So now you decide whether riding with me makes sense or not!” the cabbie said and, eventually, drove the couple to their destination.

This was not an isolated case. Throughout the city, yellow cabs are randomly refusing to charge by the meter and are quoting rates that they term “reasonable” compared to that of app cabs. So what if they do not have AC vehicles to drive you? They are charging less! Although there are plenty of yellow cab drivers who do not have smart phones, a big population has started using them just to keep abreast of app cab rates.

Yellow cab driver Kapila Routh, who lives in Chowbagha, said, “Look at the diesel prices. At over Rs 70 a litre, do you think we can afford to drive cabs on meter? Most of us are struggling to make ends meet because we don’t own the cars. After paying our daily rentals to the owners, we are hardly left with anything to take home.” Routh, who had parked his vehicle near Parama Island on Wednesday, tries to justify the move saying, “To drive up to Ruby Hospital/ Abhishikta crossing I will charge nothing less than Rs 70 — Rs 30 more than the usual meter fare. An app cab will charge a little over Rs 100. So don’t the passengers stand to gain?”

Cabbies say the last rate revision happened when diesel price was Rs 35. Now that it has doubled, they are gasping for breath. Basant Singh, who starts his day from Moulali every day, said, “For 25 years I have driven a cab and can do nothing else for a survival. I have two children and an ailing mother. I can do nothing but stop running by the meter and quote fixed rates. I often look up app cab rates and keep my rates lower than that of theirs, but higher than what would be on the meter. This suits everybody.”

Fewer yellow taxis are plying on city roads now. Cab drivers say they are unable to afford the fuel and are often taking days off.

“We need an immediate rate revision. But we fear the state government will not entertain this owing to its populist outlook.” said taxi owner Mukul Roy. Paresh, driver of the car, now takes the car out for eight hours instead of 12 as was the case before the fuel price hike.