KOCHI: Some months ago when Bengaluru-based couple Sreenivasan and Shiny (name changed) visited Kochi to spend a few days at their native place Idukki, they wanted a car for themselves for a week. A search in the internet got them to a person, who was providing cars to customers for a fee.
“The person had several cars in his custody, of which some were owned by his friends. We don’t think he had the valid legal permission to operate the service,” said Shiny. “But the service was useful to us as we had a vehicle in our possession for our brief stay in Kerala,” she said. The couple had to give an original document such as Aadhar card or PAN card as security to him which would be returned once they give back the vehicle and the car rent.
Most of the big cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi, have their own rent-a-cab service like Zoom Cars, Carz on rent, Avis, etc, but not in Kerala. Not until now, that is.
For the first time, Kerala will have its own first licensed rent-a-cab service. AVS Cars, which was given the licence by the Transport Department recently, has announced the launch of its services with 50 vehicles. “Ours will be the first rent-a-cab service in Kerala with RTO permit,” said C P Ajith Kumar, its managing director.
The problems with unlicensed services are several - the customer may use the vehicle for illegal activities, which, when caught, will land the original owner in a soup; the owner and the passengers will be ineligible for insurance in case of an accident.
“This is why a valid licence provider will attract business from hereon,” Ajith Kumar said.
He said it took nearly one-and-half years for AVS Cars to get the licence. “Now that there is a precedent, more companies may join us in providing rent-a-cab service in the state,” he said. It is learnt one more company has applied for licence with the Transport Department.“All our cars are brand new, and we will have offices in five locations in Kerala,” he said.The new rent-a-cab service cars will spot black number plates with yellow letters. “Even the police are unaware about this as they have stopped some rent-a-cabs out of ignorance,” Ajith Kumar said.
Number plates
The new rent-a-cab service cars will spot black number plates with yellow letters.
It is learnt one more company has applied for licence with the Transport Department for launching rent-a-cab services