Bengaluru: Though app-based cab aggregators such as Ola, TaxiForSure and Uber claim that the number of drivers joining their platform is on the rise, the reality is that some of these drivers have attached themselves to more than one aggregator. While plying for a particular aggregator they switch off the GPS of the other players. This is posing a threat to the safety of the passengers and little has been done to curb the menace.
Ola officials claim that their vehicles can be traced even if a driver switches off his mobile GPS. Anand Subramanian, Senior Director, Marketing Communications said, “We have two layers of GPS. One is in the mobile and another is hard fitted GOS around the engine of the vehicle. So, we can track a vehicle even if their mobile GPS is off.”
However, Taxiforsure officials said that only a few of the vehicles have hard fitted GPS and majority of them are connected through the mobile GPS alone. The official said, “If the driver switches his phone off during a trip and if we fail to trace him in the mobile GPS, our backend office will immediately make a phone call to check if there is any anomaly.”
Cab aggregator Uber has assured that talks to have a non-detachable GPS in the vehicles are going on, but no decision has been taken yet. However, they reiterated that they have strong safety measures in place. The passengers can send trip details to up to five pre-selected contacts through the app so that friends and family can track the exact location and trip progress on a real time basis. They have also added an SOS button directly in-app so riders can immediately contact local authorities during emergency.
However, transport department authorities are sceptical about the claims made by cab aggregators. Joint Commissioner of Bengaluru urban and rural, Narendra Holkar said, “Majority of these cabs do not have hard fitted GPS. Not all cabs of Ola are fitted with hard fitted GPS. We have directed them to install non-detachable GPS, but in vain. We have been booking cases against these cab operators for not having a proper GPS in place.”
