Not a smooth ride

Radio cabs in Delhi still have a long way to go.

The Delhi Metro apart, denizens of the capital have always complained about its public transport, whether the auto rickshaws or the buses. People in Mumbai, on the other hand, talk highly about public transport in their city and a lot of it boils down to what we could call the difference in the ‘cab culture’ of the two cities. Delhi has cabs but they are not part of a commuter’s life, unlike Mumbai. So the entry of radio cabs on Delhi streets was bound to run into some roadblocks.

But it’s been two years now, and the cabs are slowly becoming a part of Delhi’s life. But do they live up to their promise?

On a chilly and windy day in the capital, I had to rush for a meeting and called one of the operators, Meru Cabs. After being kept on hold for two minutes, I was told that most of the cabs were out and they wouldn’t be able to send me one in time. Stranded on the street, I called another operator, Easy Cabs. Within a few seconds I was informed that the cab would reach me on time. It did, and the ride was pretty smooth as well. The driver was well-mannered, the cab was neat and clean (with an overdose of in-cab advertising though), and most important, he knew the route. And even though I knew the fare structure, he informed me about it in a professional way.

In Mumbai, most cabs are willing to ply even short distances without too much fuss. But in Delhi that’s rarely the case, radio cab or otherwise. The following day I needed to travel a distance of five kilometers, and Mega Cabs refused, the reason being that it wasn’t worth it.

However, these radio cabs services seem to be efficient at airports — especially in Mumbai — and are relatively hassle-free. The system is well-organised and barring a few occasions when you might have to wait in a queue to pay the fare, it’s smooth sailing. In Mumbai, you can book a cab at the airport only through free phones and the cab details are sent back via a SMS, which saves a lot of time.

Score 5/10: Neat cabs and well-mannered drivers make the drive a pleasant experience. If only booking a cab was less of a hassle

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