TYGR app for conventional taxis in Kolkata

The metropolis is all set to get a new mobile app, TYGR, on Poila Baishakh (Bengali new year) for riders availing conventional yellow taxis.
"We are soft launching the TYGR app on April 15 and have already roped in 1,000 conventional yellow taxis, some of which also have AC facility, as members through our Kolkata franchisee," Savetur CEO Aditya Poddar told PTI today.
Savetur, a technology start-up, focuses on building mobile - first B2B and then B2C marketplace products, and owns the TYGR app.
Poddar said all 1,000 taxis may take some time to log in with the system, but number of taxis will grow along with the riders.

"Riders will pay government regulated meter taxi fare and nothing more. There is no convenience fee," he said.
The Savetur CEO said there are some 14,000 conventional taxis and another about 30,000 vehicles running under app-based cab aggregators like Uber and Ola in the city.

Ola roped in yellow or conventional taxis in their app and as per their norms, a rider has to pay an additional Rs 10 over the metered fare.
But, the service turned out to be a dampener as customers often complained of frequent declines by drivers.
Explaining the functioning of the app, Poddar said "We are not aggregators like Ola and Uber. We are offering an application for drivers by which they can log in to the system and riders within two kms will be able to locate them and get connected.

"But, TYGR will not have any control on them on how they operate, how long they stay online or decline requests," he said.
"With intense competition from app hailing cabs, conventional taxis also require to get logged into some app service to get business for their own survival," Poddar said.
TYGR will charge a monthly license fee from the drivers for the application and support and they will not have to part anything from their fare collection, he said.
"For cashless support to customers, we have tied up with PayTM. Initially, we will settle drivers' collection in a day, but are working toward a system by which money collected digitally also goes to their (drivers) accounts instantly," Poddar said.

TYGR has raised USD 3 million in a Pre-Series A funding round led by Franchise India, an Asian franchise and retail solution provider, and a group of fellow investors.
They are also working toward B2B transport sector and has plans for global footprint.