Call Taxis are taxi services in India in several cities in India.

Call Taxi in Bangalore
taxi service in mumbai
Call Taxi in Hyderabad.

In some cities, they operate under a regular taxi permit, while in some cities, they are treated as tourist vehicles for hire.[1] They often offer services at all times of the day.[2]

Call Taxi services are not officially recognised by the Motor Vehicles Act.[3]

They are preferred as they are considered safer, more convenient than ordinary taxis or autorickshaws, and reliable.[4]

In Mumbai, ordinary taxicabs can be booked over the internet or with a phone.[5][6] In Coimbatore, a service was launched where autorickshaws can be booked over the phone.[7]

History

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Call Taxis first appeared in Chennai and were described as 'no nonsense' in comparison to regular taxicabs.[8] In Bangalore, Call taxis gained prominence after the opening of the Information Technology sectors.[9]

In 2013, Uber commenced operations in India.[10] The number of Uber drivers has been growing steadily over the past few years. As the company has gained in popularity, more and more drivers are applying to drive for Uber, and driver sign ups have soared.[11]

References

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  1. ^ Narayanan, Vivek (15 April 2013). "New hues for call taxis". The Hindu. Chennai. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  2. ^ L, Srikrishna (2 January 2013). "Need to rein in call taxis". The Hindu. Madurai. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  3. ^ KV, Prasad (4 November 2010). "Safeguards needed: call taxi operators". The Hindu. Coimbatore. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  4. ^ L, Srikrishna (30 April 2012). "Residents and tourists prefer call taxis". The Hindu. Madurai. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  5. ^ Sen, Somit (9 June 2012). "Book ordinary taxis 24 X 7 on the phone for no extra charges". The Times of India. Mumbai. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  6. ^ "Mumbai: App to book black-and-yellow taxis". Mumbai. Daily News and Analysis. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  7. ^ VS, Palaniappan (13 February 2014). "Call auto service introduced". The Hindu. Coimbatore. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Call taxi stand inaugurated at Chennai Central Station". The Hindu. Chennai. 7 April 2007. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  9. ^ "Radio taxi is the preferred option". The Hindu. Bangalore. 22 April 2006. Archived from the original on 13 May 2006. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Google-backed Uber drives into India". The Hindu. Bangalore. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  11. ^ "Who's Still Driving For Uber After The Latest Rate Cuts?". rideordriveuber. Retrieved 18 April 2016.