Meru starts low-cost taxi service

To start with, the company has introduced 50 Genie cabs in city, which it would raise to 500 in next 6-9 months

Cab service provider Meru Cabs has launched its low-cost taxi service, Genie, aimed at intra-city commuters in the mid-segment. Launched on a pilot basis in Hyderabad, Meru plans to take it to other cities including New Delhi, Bangalore among others. It is also considering the service for Lucknow, Chandigarh and Visakhapatnam.

To start with, it has introduced 50 Genie cabs in the city, which it would raise to 500 in the next 6-9 months. “The city has the capacity to absorb 500-1,000 Genie cabs and nationally it is around 10,000,” said Siddhartha Pahwa, chief executive officer, Meru Cabs, here today.

It has deployed new hatchbacks including Toyota Liva, Indica Vista and Ford Figo for the service. It has priced the service at Rs 16 per km and in the night it will be higher by 25 per cent.

The business works through a driver-owned model. “The service would address the large middle segment who commute in the city for shopping, picking up kids from schools among others,” said Pahwa. Customers can always hail a cab on the streets if its not occupied. The low-cost service will have a dedicated 24x7 call centre for booking the cab.

The organised cab service market in the country stands at Rs 5,000 crore and is growing annually at 25 per cent.

The business works through a driver-owned model.“The service would address the large middle segment who commute in the city for shopping, picking up kids from schools among others,” said Pahwa. Customers can always hail a cab on the streets if its not occupied.

The low-cost service will have a dedicated 24x7 call centre for booking the cab.