An increasing number of people use public transport for economic reasons, environmental concerns and so on. The recent collapse of a valuable customer service, Blusmart, robbed the traveller

community of one robust travel option.

An increasing number of people use public transport for economic reasons, environmental concerns and so on. The recent collapse of a valuable customer service, Blusmart, robbed the traveller

community of one robust travel option. Some of Blusmart’s likeable features included a homogeneity of cars, speed limit monitoring, good cooling, and assured rides. Being a frequent user of

interiors or exteriors of the cars in the fleet.

Even dirty, dented, or dilapidated cars have on occasion been given the tag of a ‘prime sedan.’ Whereas, the proud owner of such a sedan may be as pleased as punch, the customer is most

certainly not! The air you inhale during the ride hinges a lot on the habits of the driver. If the driver smokes, you may well be imbibing the stale aroma of cigarette smoke, and if the

driver uses a purifier, there are pleasant smells wafting about. Also, the tools you get at your disposal, to beat the heat and humidity vary from mini fans to air conditioners to just

handles to slide down the windows. Perhaps a quick glance at your horoscope may well alert you as to what to anticipate during the ride that day! So too with drivers. Most drive reasonably

well but their habits and personalities can impact your day.

Sometimes, passengers who have just booked a cab may be deluged with unnecessary calls from the drivers. For commuters using the precious morning time to finish off their breakfast or

complete their dressing, it is an unwelcome intrusion. Many cab drivers hail from states other than Delhi and are unfamiliar with Delhi roads. This puts them completely at the mercy of

Google maps, a whimsical navigation tool. Often enough, a flyover or two turns placed close to each other can throw the driver off route with adverse time consequences for the passenger.

Since passengers make phone calls during the journey and responses are clearly heard in the close confines of the car, a few drivers eavesdrop and then join in the conversation as if it is

the most natural thing in the world.

For example, if I give any medicine related instructions to patients or staff, I find that the driver who has guessed my profession, will suddenly begin telling me about various ailments in

his body without any preamble and without even inquiring what my speciality is. Many of these micro level issues can be easily addressed if the cab services are held accountable for

monitoring the basic cleanliness level of cars, and providing hired drivers orientation workshops on Delhi routes, and some tips on customer interaction.

At a macro level, these app based services are given special facilities by the regulators. They are allowed ‘dynamic pricing’ which allows them to charge different rates for the same

distance. Thus, the business fluctuations are transferred to the commuters who must absorb the problems of short supply of drivers. In fact, now there is an explicit choice to tip the driver

and get available cabs quicker. This does not seem right. If people were to ‘tip’ doctors in the emergency room or judges for jumping the queue or getting faster services, it would amount

to corruption.

Yet in this essential service, this feature is allowed which then favours those with extra funds to spare. Since the app-based cars take customers from their homes to workplaces and shopping

malls etc., they have very precise data on customers – where they live, where they work, where they like to shop and travel etc. We have no way of knowing whether this information is sold

and to whom. It makes customers vulnerable. The app service also uses clients to get feedback on the car and driver; things they themselves should vet in the first place. My own experiences

of using these cab services range from the downright scary to the truly pleasant. An unnerving journey one night was with a driver who doubled up as a music jockey during the journey. He

commenced by playing songs with vulgar lyrics which were assiduously ignored by me. Not feeling satisfied he tur – ned around and specifically ask – ed me whether I was enjoying the (cheap)

music. I politely de c li n ed and said our generation preferred slow ghazals. I hoped that the reference to an older generation might make him disinterested in the passenger.

However, he instead started playing different ghazals and after each one would turn round to stare at me, repeatedly asking whether I had liked it. Apart from his constant turning around in

his seat being risky for our collective safety, it made me truly uncomfortable. I did not really know what I could to do to change the situation at that late hour. I felt utter relief when I

reached home. Another regrettable incident was when I was dumped unceremoniously on a dark road in front of a long boundary wall (the end of which was nowhere in sight) in the late evening

wearing a sari, adorned with jewellery and carrying a heavy gift. The driver insisted that the journey map showed ‘done’ so I must exit from the car. I tried to appeal to his logic that the

journey’s end should coincide with an entry gate or building at least but the driver was adamant that his responsibility to me had ended so I must disembark straightaway. No amount of

reasoning or persuasion worked.

Finally, I was forced to walk about 3/4ths of a kilometre on the dark stretch carrying a heavy load and looking nervously over my shoulder till I finally reached the entrance which was on

the other side of the compound. There are also many instances when the ride has been a truly joyful one. Some drivers are very courteous, wish you politely, keep to themselves, and will be

good Samaritans when it matters, such as patiently waiting for you when you buy an urgent drug from a chemist en route. One elderly driver I happened to be journeying with swerved left a

little sharply which resulted in a collision with two motorcyclists, one of whom got a few superficial injuries. I expected a fight to break out and feared for the old driver.

The driver got out of his cab and offered to take the injured biker to any nearby hospital for wound dressing. I was very pleasantly surprised when the affected motorcyclists as well as the

collected bystanders exhibited kindness to the aging driver and assured him that they would manage everything themselves, asking him to resume his journey. Clearly, Delhi at its best. To

conclude, app owner business teams can make the journey a most satisfying experience for the public should they put in a few more value-added services. The regulator should ensure that the

overall average driver rating (across all drivers) is made publicly available. This will indirectly ensure a more thorough selection process. Travellers will stand to benefit.