Bright new kid, but needs to do its homework

Try Cabto to beat the heat and the exorbitant surge pricing of cab aggregators

Back in the national capital, suddenly, we are all worried about cabs. Surge pricing notwithstanding, the odd-even rule has made sure we stop and take notice of cabs as an indispensible, omni-use public transport. There is also the diesel ban, the traffic mayhem, and of course the heat. The bottom line: We need a cab to get around. So the million-dollar question facing Delhiites is: How to beat the heat and surge pricing? Try Cabto.

Cabto is not unique. It is not complete. It is an ambitious app, and needless to say, it falters. It is taking on an older, more comprehensive, more established aggregator, Ixigo, which too provides surge comparisons. On the surface, it has brought nothing new to the plate. So what's the deal?

First, the interface: Plain, simple and very easy to use. Typing in keywords brings a drop down list of colourful places as option for both current location and destination, due to Cabto's alliance with Foursquare. The search is fast. Pick one and Cabto puts a list of all available nearby rides. Mega, Ola, Tabcab, Taxi for Sure, Uber - all the major players are here, and in the two weeks I used it, it added a couple more as well. So the list is growing.

Second, surge comparison: Irrespective of what other apps are offering, the surge comparison will always be a helpful feature. If one finds even a single option showing "no surge", your day is made. The pricing index however, lacks a list of base prices or per minute charges.

Where Cabto scores is the scope of its expansion. A dedicated go-to platform for cab aggregators, which lays down a list of all travelling options, is definitely a must in the season of the odd-even rule. Cabto needs to improve on several counts if it needs to reach every smartphone user's fingertips. The first would be to make its list of providers as comprehensive as possible, which it is already doing. Second, an option of direct booking is available for only a handful of clients like Ola and EasyCabs. Other aggregators like Uber still need you to reroute to their apps, before booking. This, coupled with the fact that often, individual apps show a more accurate listing of their available rides, can be upsetting to the entire purpose of the one-stop app.

Its third, and biggest current drawback, is the lack of sharing or carpooling options. Cabto cannot help you connect with Olashare or Uberpool. An important intended effect of the odd-even rule is promoting carpools. And if Cabto is to cash in on the Delhi government's now-praised-now-dished traffic invention, it has to upgrade before the chief minister lets loose his next volley.

Cabto is a rewarding experience, but the limitations tend to put you off. A lot of homework awaits this bright new kid.