Updated: Jan 28, 2015
Anyone who has lived in any Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune or Bangalore knows about the nuisance of Auto Rickshaw drivers. Refusals, rude behaviors and overcharging are a norm and most of the times they end up spoiling our mood and our entire day.
Taxi is not an option for many as its fare is twice as high as Auto Rickshaw but now thanks to App based Taxi startups like Ola and Taxi For Sure, Taxi is now as affordable as Auto Rickshaw. Well, almost.
Most of these startups are offering really good rates and not to mention the convenience and comfort of travelling in an Air Conditioned cab saving you from the heat and pollution of the city.
Ola Cabs & Rs.300 Free Credit
Use the referral code: 4NRYT0 (that’s zero) when you sign up & get Rs300 Free credit.
Ola cabs have a wide range of fleets starting from Auto Rickshaw to Ola Pink, a service specially for women and driven by Women drivers. The Ola Mini is the cheapest personal cab option but the minimum fare is Rs80 which gives you 4km and 10 minute wait time.
After the 6km they charge Rs10 per km which is really cheap. You can even earn money by referring and inviting your friends to join Ola. This money however can not be en-cashed but it can be used to pay for your rides on Ola.
When you join ola for the first time and use the referral code: 4NRYT0 (that’s zero) when you sign up, you will get Rs300 Free credit. Once you join you can start inviting your friends to join Ola and start earning.
Of course you cannot earn huge and get rich but can earn enough to pay off for your own rides. You can download the Ola App from the link below:
At this time (August 2015), you cannot book a cab by phone. But in case you need talk to their customer support call (STD-CODE-OF-YOUR-CITY) 3355 3355 Prefix the number by the STD code of your city.
Read my Full Review: Ola Cab Review
Meru Cabs
Meru cabs have been in the business for quite sometime now but is struggling to compete with startups like Ola, Taxi for Sure and Uber. Meru also have really good offers but their fares are higher than Ola and Taxi for Sure.
For Meru’s rate chart click here
Meru also is offering Rs150 OFF on your first ride booked through their App. You have to use the coupon code MERU150 at the time of booking your first ride. No longer available.
You can also book a cab on their website – www.merucabs.com or by calling (STD CODE)-4422-4422 Prefix the number with the STD code of your city. Here is a receipt of one of my trips.
Receipt for one of my late night trip
Taxi for Sure Rs.50 off
Another Cab service provider is TaxiforSure. The starting fare for their Tata Indica (Small Cab) is just Rs.45 for 4km which is really cheap. The fare after the initial 4km is Rs.14 per km.
Taxi for Sure even have Nano cars for just Rs25 for first 2km and Rs10 per km there after which is cheaper than Auto Rickshaw. But they have limited number of Nano cabs right now so you may not find one easily.
For other offers and Fare chart click here
Late Night Commuters
If you have to travel late night (between 10PM to 6AM) in India, never take an Auto Rickshaw as they will charge you a hell lot plus you will have to bear their rude behavior before, during and at the end of your journey. Instead always book a taxi since their rates will be standard (which will be close or cheaper sometimes than the Auto Rickshaw fares) and above all, it’s safe and comfortable.
About a week back, I was travelling from Mysore to Bangalore and knowing I was going to reach Bangalore around 11 I booked a taxi from Meru Cabs. As I got out of the Bus Station, a bunch of Auto Drivers rushed.
Curiously I asked if they will go by Fare Meter to Neelsadra (which is about 7-8KM away), none agreed and the best fare I was offered was Rs.180/-
Then I got call from the Meru Cab Driver (who was polite & courteous of course) and was waiting right at the exit. He helped me with my little luggage and I headed towards my destination.
The total fare came to Rs.166/- but at the time there was a promotion for first time Meru Cab Mobile users so I got a nice Rs.100/- discount. So I paid only Rs.66/- where if I had taken an Auto I would have paid at least Rs.180/-
P.S; I prefer Ola over Meru because of a few bad experiences with Meru.
What to do If an Auto Driver Misbehaves or Overcharges
This may be little off the topic but I thought it will be helpful for many. Here is what you should do if an Auto Driver refuses, misbehaves, overcharges etc.
In case of refusal by an auto driver to take you somewhere you can forward an SMS
REF(space) Vehicle no. (space) Location (space) time of refusal.
For example – REF DL12F45 Gk-1toKhanmarket 3:10PM and send it to 56767.
In case of overcharging
OVC(space) Vehicle no. (space) Location (space) time of overcharging.
For example – OVC DL12F45 Gk-1toKhanmarket 3:10PM and send it to 56767.
Misbehaviour Case
MIS(space) Vehicle no. (space) Location (space) time of overcharging
For example – MIS DL12F45 Gk-1toKhanmarket 3:10PM
– See more at: https://www.hichkey.com/nuisance-of-auto-rickshaw-drivers/#sthash.TgOMjxj3.dpuf
I hope this post is useful to someone sick, tired and frustrated by rowdy Auto Drivers in India.
Conclusion
Although these new App based taxi services are great but do not rely on them completely. I had a few bad experiences with Meru when their Cab never turned up or came very late. Ola is running a campaign at the time of this writing (Jan28,2015) where in they guarantee your drop to the Airport on time or they will pay for your Flight ticket.
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