Now, click for a taxi or SMS for it!

New Delhi - One would have thought that having taxi services with state of the art call centers would be useful, inexpensive and customer friendly in the congestive traffic environment of national capital Delhi, but sadly, this has always not been the case.

To address this, a Delhi-based company has now launched a fully automated taxi dispatch system in association with the Delhi Economy Taxi Drivers Association.

According to Piyus Agarwal, Director of Rooster Info Private Limited, commuters can now log on the website www.delhi-taxi.com and find a taxi, or send the following message on their mobiles - SMS – TAXI <area-code> to 92121-48888.

Speaking to ANI over phone, Agarwal revealed that right now there are about 150 taxis available on call through the system, and plans to increase the number of such vehicles to about 3000. He said that economy taxis are available on call for Rs.10 per kilometer, while eco-taxis, which are air conditioned and more comfortable, charge Rs.15 per kilometer at present. He said that he hoped this charge would be brought down to Rs.12 or Rs.13 per kilometer in the near future, to make it affordable.

Agarwal said: “The system has been launched to enable customers to travel in a safe and secure manner at a reasonable cost within the NCR. Commuters can call our helpline number 95400-3999 in case they feel they have been overcharged. Prompt action can be taken as the entire transaction including the route and distance travelled is automatically recorded in the server”

He cited the example of Kanika Chittkara, a resident of Greater Kailash,  to back the efficacy of this new service:

Kanika said: “I needed a taxi to visit my relative at Naraina. I sent a SMS:- TAXI 110148 to 92121-48888. Within a few seconds a message came on my mobile giving

the details of a taxi. I called the mobile number provided and in minutes a taxi drove up to my doorstep. The driver took me to Naraina and charged me Rs.205 (Rs.25 for pick-up charges and Rs.180 for the18 kilometers.) I am so happy.  I am going to use this service always”.

Bimal Singh, the president of the Delhi Economy Taxi Drivers Association, said that the government had promised to set up a call center, but nothing had been done so far.

He described the present system of hiring taxis through an automated system or via SMS as a gift, boon and a blessing.

Agarwal said that once this initiative takes off, his company would charge Rs.1000 per month, as opposed to the Rs.1000 per day charged by established call center taxi services.