It’s often the case that you try booking a cab but find the line busy. With Olacabs, a cab service that was launched in the city on Monday, one needn’t deal with the busy tones, but one can simply make a booking through an application that is available for download in the smartphone.
This smartphone-enabled cab service, which is claimed to be the first of its kind in the country, lets customers not only book a cab but also track it till it reaches the destination.
“We are launching the Sedan category first here. With this, you can ask for a pick-up from the airport or go to the movies. It’s effortless, efficient and economical,” said Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO and co-founder of Olacabs.
Founded in 2011 by two IIT Bombay alumni, Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati, Olacabs is already present in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore and Pune with over 6,000 cabs.
Chennai, being the fifth city to get the service, will have over 150 cabs operating and offering point-to-point services within the city, hour-based rental services and bookings for outstation travel. Charges are competitive with `150 for the first six kilometers and `16 for every one kilometer after that.
The app is available on android, iPhone and web app for customers. Olacabs also has an app for drivers, which is an in-car navigation and communication device, doubling up as a fare meter during the trip. The service which partners with individual car owners and drivers to operate as a brand also helps drivers to get loans and buy cars. “We have about 30 percent of our bookings through the app, which is built by our in-house team. We have tie-ups with non-banking finance corporations and car manufacturers through which we can help drivers get easy loans and buy car. So far, we have 1,000 plus cars purchased through this service,” said Bhavish.
The drivers are also given training on customer relations and soft skills before they begin taking trips. But if a customer does not have a smartphone to book the cab through the app, it can be done through their website www.olacabs.com or simply by calling 044-33553355.