Change is coming to India’s chaotic taxi services (Taxi No. 9211, The YouCab, Aug 17). Coming out of a railway station or airport in any city in India is quite harrowing, with auto and taxi drivers hounding you all the way, and overcharging is common. Governments have looked the other way for years because politicians do not use taxis. The Ubers and Olas might bring some change at last. Technology is a force that cannot be stopped.
Dinesh Kumar, Chandigarh
The convenience offered by services like Uber et al provides a respite to the harried citizen in urban India, who is made to believe that nothing comes easy. Seen another way, not everyone who needs reliable and affordable transportation has a smartphone with a data plan, uses a digital wallet or credit card. That apart, it’s a win-win game for both riders and drivers. However, maybe the drivers, lured by incentives and assured business, should not grow accustomed to it, because a day will come when Uber will reset the rules when the contest for marketshare is settled in its favour. It’s the business model that will stay useful and relevant because it addresses a common problem. May these ideas flourish!
Anand Srinivasan, Bangalore
Services like Uber need to be monitored as the experience in other countries has shown them to violate rules. More than that, the safety of passengers is of utmost importance in a country like India. It’s just that unreliable taxi services—except perhaps in Mumbai—make Uber a preferred choice.
Ramachandran Nair, Oman
