Services in cities like Coimbatore and Madurai were badly hit as the drivers stayed off duty and staged protest raising slogans in support of their demands, office bearers of the Tamil Nadu call taxi owners and drivers association said.
In Chennai, prepaid taxi operators came to the rescue of stranded passengers at the airport and the Central railway station.
Following the strike call, Ola sent out messages to its customers saying that cab availability may be limited for some time due to the prevailing situation.
Cab aggregator Uber informed customers they might face minor disruptions in operations.
"We are working hard to bring more cars on the road at the earliest and to keep Chennai moving. A slightly better planning could help you have a wonderful day while you ride with us," it said.