KOCHI: Are you a regular user of cabs? Do you think the customers deserve affordable pricing? Or have you ever wished for better service than the existing aggregators? If yes, Kyaab can be the answer to all your woes.
The mobile app-based taxi service, conceived by a group of taxi drivers from their mixed experience of online taxis, aims at providing better service to the customers at affordable rates.
The project, supported by NSC Online Taxi Association, will be officially launched at an event to be held at Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
"We have started our pilot services with around 500 drivers offering free rides to customers. The free rides will continue till the official launch. Customers who download the app can enjoy unlimited rides across the city," said Niyaz Karimughal, co-founder of the initiative.
It is the lack of a platform for the drivers to convey their grievances and a hefty annual commission of 26 per cent charged by MNCs that led to the origin of Kyaab.
"Compared to MNCs like Ola and Uber, we will be giving more space to drivers to raise their problems and suggestions. There was one instance wherein a driver from Kochi went to Bengaluru as an intra-city trip and was cheated by the passenger. In the end, the company washed their hands off. We are charging only 16 per cent commission and will dedicate half the revenue for the workers' welfare and other charity activities," he said.
Other practices like daily targets and surge rates during peak hours will be absent in Kyaab.
"We are aiming at setting a new work culture in online taxi landscape of Kerala. Nowadays, drivers are under tremendous pressure from their parent companies. Due to less return, they are reluctant to ride during peak hours. There won't be any pressure on drivers and they will be free to join multiple platforms as well. Moreover, in other
platforms, even minor negative feedback from the customer will act as a setback for the driver. We will take the opinions of both sides before taking any action against the drivers. Our business model aspires to achieve all-round development of the eco-system," added
Niyaz.
Interestingly, the city has been witnessing multiple online taxi platforms and the developers are upbeat about having a healthy atmosphere with all competitors. "Apart from mainstream players, there are newly launched services like Qbr (Quality and Best Ride) and PIU. We are not planning to destroy anyone to establish our place. We believe in the sustainable development of everyone," he said. Kyaab's technology is developed and managed by Serville Technologies Pvt Ltd.
"We have developed the app on the similar lines of other cab aggregators. There will be coupons, discounts and other benefits. Furthermore, a 24 x 7 helpline service will be provided," said one of the developer. The firm is expected to fetch 5,000 drivers within a year and expand to other Kerala cities soon.