Taxi

Air taxi startup ePlane Co raises $14 million; eyes testing in mid-2025

The global air taxi market was valued at $2.3 billion in 2023 and is projected to be worth $14 billion by end-2032, a study by Global Market Insights showed

CCPA orders Ola to offer refund choices, provide auto ride receipts

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has directed ride-hailing platform Ola to implement consumer-friendly changes, including offering refund options and providing receipts for auto rides, the regulator said on Sunday. The CCPA, led by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare, observed that Ola's no-questions-asked refund policy only provided coupon codes for future rides, without giving consumers a choice for bank account refunds. "This (practice) violates consumer rights," the CCPA said in a statement. "The no-question-asked refund policy cannot mean that the company incentivises people to simply use this facility for taking another ride." The regulator also mandated Ola to issue bills or invoices for all auto rides booked through its platform, citing the absence of such documentation as an "unfair trade practice" under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Following the CCPA's intervention, Ola has implemented several changes, including displaying contact details of grievance an

Toyota Motor plans to invest $500 mn in electric air taxi company

The Japanese automaker's new funding is on top of $394 million in prior investments it made in Joby and is part of a strategic alliance on commercial manufacturing

Auto, taxi drivers call 2-day strike in Delhi against app-based cab cos

The strike, which began on Thursday, has caused inconvenience to commuters, with many drivers refusing to accept rides

How automated taxis are causing a stir among ride-hailing drivers in China

Currently, at least 19 cities across China are testing robotaxis and robobuses, with seven cities allowing trials without human-driver monitors

China's Apollo Go sparks debate on low-cost robotaxi service and job impact

Apollo Go, a subsidiary of the Chinese tech giant Baidu (BIDU), operates a fleet of 500 robotaxis in Wuhan, covering roughly half the city's population

Musk proposed to launch robotaxis in China during April visit: Reports

Musk on the trip intended to discuss the rollout of FSD and whether Tesla could secure government approvals to transfer data overseas that could prove pivotal in its development of autonomous vehicles

Rapido to offer free rides to differently-abled voters in Karnataka

Ride-hailing platform Rapido on Wednesday pledged to offer free bike taxi, auto, and cab rides to differently-abled and senior citizen voters in Karnataka as part of its "SawaariZimmedariKi" initiative. Voters in Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Mangaluru would be able to avail free rides to and fro voting points on April 26 by using the code VOTENOW'. "In collaboration with the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Rapido sets forth to champion civic engagement during the General Elections 2024 by extending free auto and cab rides to differently-abled and senior citizen voters in Bengaluru," Rapido said in a statement. Rapido's Co-founder Pavan Guntupalli said the move is to ensure that differently-abled, and senior citizen voters have equitable access to exercise their democratic rights.

Delhi govt develops portal for licensing cab aggregators, e-commerce cos

The Delhi government has developed a portal to facilitate licensing, payment of fees and regulate cab aggregators, delivery service providers and e-commerce entities. The Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme - 2023 was notified by the government last year. Service providers and e-commerce entities with more than 25 vehicles in their fleet will have to register on the portal to obtain a licence. "All licence holders are requested to register their existing fleets operating in the NCT of Delhi. All existing aggregator and delivery service providers operating within the NCT of Delhi shall obtain a licence within a period of 90 days," according to a public notice issued by the Transport department. The notice was uploaded on the department's website on Friday. The department's dashboard to monitor the progress of the scheme can be accessed at myfleet.delhi.gov.in. The licences will be valid for five years. The scheme mandates service providers to ensur

Over 40% cab drivers, delivery persons face violence at work: Survey

Nearly 47 per cent cab drivers and 41.5 per cent delivery persons face some form of violence at work with a majority of the latter demanding to discontinue the 10 minutes delivery policy, a survey report has revealed. Several companies offer discount and provide the order for free if the delivery is not made within 10 minutes of placing the order. In an incident in October last year, a pizza delivery man in Pune, Maharashtra, was assaulted and threatened by firing in the air by an angry customer due to late arrival of the pizza at his doorstep. According to the survey by a Delhi-based NGO, PAIGAM, 41.5 per cent of the respondents reported that they have faced violence at work. The survey studied responses from a sample size of 10,000 gig and app-based drivers, and delivery workers between April 2022 to 2023 across eight states, including Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Indore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore. The survey highlights the challenges faced by app-based drivers and gig

Uber unveils $7 bn stock buyback plan first for company, shares up 4.6%

The stock jumped about 4.6% in premarket trading in New York. It has more than doubled over the past 12 months

Lyft guarantees weekly earnings in a bid to lure more drivers

Last year about 15% of Lyft drivers across United States earned less than 70% of what riders paid, after external fees, but Lyft assured to pay difference if drivers made below 70% at end of week

Uber, Ola will have to fall in line as Karnataka govt fixes fare for taxis

City taxis and those operating through app-based aggregators like Uber and Ola will now have to follow the new fare structure announced by the Karnataka Transport Department. With this new order released by the department on Saturday, fares for app-based cab aggregators as well as city taxis would be uniform and the revised fares would be applicable across the state with immediate effect. Prior to this, the fares were different for the two categories of taxis. According to the new fare structure, cabs have been categorised into three classes based on the cost of the vehicle. For vehicles whose purchase cost is Rs 10 lakh or below, the minimum fare has been fixed at Rs 100 for up to four km with a charge of Rs 24 for every additional km. For those costing between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh, the minimum fare is Rs 115, and per km cost Rs 28. For those costing above 15 lakh, minimum fare is set at Rs 130 with Rs 32 charged for each additional kilometre. The order clearly states that no

Ride-hailing company Uber launches operations in Jammu and Kashmir

Ride-hailing firm Uber on Tuesday said it has started operations in Jammu and Kashmir with the launch of services in Srinagar. Uber will offer Uber Go and outstation cab service Uber Intercity in the Valley. "Uber's launch in Srinagar is in line with its expansion plans in India, with an aim to increase its footprint and product offerings to regional markets. Residents of Srinagar and visiting tourists can now book Uber Go and Uber Intercity rides for their mobility needs," Uber said in a statement. Intercity rides can be booked to tourist destinations around Srinagar, including Gulmarg, Sonmarg, and Pahalgam, the company said. "With the global ride-hailing app now available in Srinagar, tourists as well as locals will now find a trusted ride in and around Srinagar with a few taps on the app. The launch of our service will also create meaningful earning opportunities for drivers and will support the economic growth of local communities," Head of Supply and Regional Operations at Ub

AIIMS Delhi takes measures on taxis overcharging patients for short trips

The AIIMS Delhi administration has announced a comprehensive plan to regulate the entry of commercial passenger vehicles into the hospital campus over reports that auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers are exploiting unsuspecting patients and their attendants. The initiative aims to ensure fair and transparent transportation services for patients arriving at the medical facility, said Dr Rima Dada, the professor in-charge of AIIMS Media cell. During routine interactions with patients, it came to light that some auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers have been overcharging patients for short trips within the AIIMS campus, Dr Dada said. To address this issue and streamline the entry of commercial passenger vehicles (CPVs), several steps will be implemented as part of which prominent bilingual signages will be installed inside and outside all entry gates of AIIMS, providing information about the availability, routes, and frequencies of electric shuttles. This will help patients make informed decisio

Mumbai's iconic Premier Padmini taxis to bow out after six decades

For decades, if one had to conjure up a picture of Mumbai, the imagery would be incomplete without the city's Premier Padmini' taxis. For, the public carriers, fondly called kaali-peeli', were more than just a mode of transport. They were attached to every aspect of the city. Giving way to newer models and app-based cab services, these black-and-yellow taxis will now bow out from Mumbai's streets, following the path of retirement recently taken by the BEST's legendary red double-decker diesel buses. A transport department official said the last Premier Padmini was registered as a black-and-yellow taxi at the Tardeo RTO, which has jurisdiction over the island city of Mumbai, on October 29, 2003. As the age limit for cabs in the city is 20 years, Mumbai officially won't have a Premier Padmini taxi from Monday onwards. Yeh Mumbai ki shaan hai aur hamari jaan hai (it is the pride of Mumbai and life of mine), said Prabhadevi resident Abdul Kareem Karsekar, who owns the last registered ..

Snap-E Cabs increases electric vehicle fleet size to 600 cars in Kolkata

App-based on-demand electric cab services provider Snap-E Cabs on Tuesday said it has expanded its fleet size to 600 cars in Kolkata, aided by significant collaborations with multiple players. The company has formed alliances with Mufin Green Finance, Mahindra & Mahindra Finance, ICICI and HDFC that are in line with the platform's expansion plans for this fiscal, the company said in a statement. Snap-E-Cabs, which is currently present in Kolkata, is also aiming at entry into newer markets like Bhubaneswar and Raipur while doubling the fleet count as well, it said. "These partnerships align with our vision to provide environmentally conscious transportation options to our customers while expanding our reach and enhancing our service offerings, said Mayank Bindal, Founder and CEO of Snap-E-Cabs. The company said its partnership with Mufin entails a fleet of 100 Tata Tigor cars on lease for five years. These vehicles will be utilized as cabs in Kolkata, effectively increasing its ...

Bengal allows luxury taxis to be painted in colours other than white, cream

Luxury taxis in West Bengal will be allowed to be painted in any colour other than white or cream for a fee of Rs 20,000 for each vehicle, a notification issued by the state transport department said. The authorities will grant permission for motor cabs (luxury taxis), rendering limousine service, to be painted in any colour other than white or cream, for which an amount of Rs 20,000 will be charged as an application fee from the interested service provider for each vehicle, said the notification, issued by Transport Department secretary Saumitra Mohan on September 19. Necessary amendments in the West Bengal Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, shall be made in due course, it said. According to the notification, the department has been receiving proposals for granting permission for all Bengal luxury taxi permits for vehicles to be painted in any colour other than white or cream. "As per Rule 270(2) of West Bengal Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the state transport department may, by order, all

SnapE cabs looking to double its fleet in FY'24, expand to smaller cities

Ride-hailing app SnapE, which operates EV cabs, is planning to more than double its current fleet by the end of FY'24, and venture into smaller cities, a company official said on Tuesday. The company also plans to induct more women drivers in its workforce, said Mayank Bindal, the managing director of EC Wheels, which operates under the SnapE brand. "Besides expanding in the greater Kolkata region, which is our base, we plan to venture into smaller cities such as Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Varanasi, Raipur, Indore, Bhopal, Jaipur and Ahmedabad over the next few years because of the potential of the untapped market," he told PTI in an interview. "We also want to provide affordable green vehicles to tourists, and are targeting the Varanasi-Ayodhya-Chitrakoot and Puri-Bhubaneswar-Konark-Chilika circuits initially," he said. The company plans to increase its fleet strength from 400 at present to 1,000 by the end of this financial year, Bindal said. "We intend to hire more women as drivers

2 rival robotaxi services gets approval to operate in US' San Francisco

California regulators on Thursday approved an expansion that will allow two rival robotaxi services to operate throughout San Francisco at all hours, despite safety worries spurred by recurring problems with unexpected stops and other erratic behaviour that resulted in unmanned vehicles blocking traffic, including emergency vehicles. The state's Public Utilities Commission voted to approve rival services from Cruise and Waymo to operate around-the-clock service. It will make San Francisco first major US city with two fleets of driverless vehicles competing for passengers against ride-hailing and taxi services dependent on humans to operate the cars. It is a distinction that San Francisco officials didn't want, largely because of the headaches that Cruise and Waymo have been causing in the city while testing their robotaxis on a restricted basis during the past year. But it ended in a major victory for Cruise a subsidiary of General Motors and Waymo a spinoff from a secret project