 "Uber yet to obtain two-wheeler taxi permit")
App-based cab aggregator Uber still does not have the requisite permission to offer two-wheeler taxi service uberMOTO and did not consult the government, said Karnataka transport commissioner Rame Gowda on Saturday.
"Why you (Uber) are not going to RTA and getting permission and the license, without that you are operating," Gowda told IANS.
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Interestingly, Uber disseminated a statement saying it held discussions with the relevant authorities without giving the exact department name and details of the officials it met, which Gowda contended.
"In the spirit of collaborating with the government, we had extensive discussions with the relevant authorities over the past few days as we have made some modifications to our ongoing pilot service with a commitment to operate within the existing framework," said Uber in a statement.
Further clarifying its two-wheeler taxi service model, Uber said the service was launched to operate at cost only without any service fee during the pilot period.
"Cost, free or charity, we have to follow the rule. Where is the classified bike taxi which is under the category of commercial vehicle," refuted Gowda.
The cab hailing company is planning to prepare a key findings report after the pilot service ends to address the feasibility of uberMOTO and its ability to augment Bengaluru's urban mobility needs.
On being asked how the transport department identified Uber two-wheeler taxis as most of them do not bear any insignia, Gowda said they are using the company's app to order the service and later seize the vehicles.
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An IANS reporter managed to book an uberMOTO on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. after slight difficulty as they are not abundantly available.
Uber and Ola launched pilot on-demand two-wheeler taxi services uberMOTO and Ola Bike, respectively, on March 3. Ola Bike later stopped its services and even removed the option to book a bike taxi on its app.