Test driving Mumbai's new dial-an-auto service

Mumbai isn’t easy on the sensory system. Especially not when you’re traveling in an auto-rickshaw (or three-wheeler). Unlike taxis, autos don’t give you the option of rolling up the windows. Because there are none.

Sitting inside the pod-like vehicle, you can see, hear, feel and smell almost everything. Which is not all bad. Except when you get stuck behind a waste dumper.

Add to this the auto drivers’ proficiency at smacking every bump and crater in the road, and the ride of your life no longer remains metaphorical.

Now here’s the good stuff.

What cabs are to south Mumbai, autos are to the rest of the city. The drivers are masters of their suburbs and know the shortcuts.

If you have a strong back or a great chiropractor, there is no reason why you shouldn’t befriend the autos. Except when it rains though. Or you want to travel short distance. Or you’re picky about tamper-proof meters (more on that below).

For all those who’ve felt like they’re in an abusive relationship with Mumbai's autos, three Mumbaikars -- Hemant Jain, Sandeep Agarwal and Gaurav Kohli -- know how you feel.

That's why they started Rickshawale (www.rickshawale.com), Mumbai's first 24-hour dial-an-auto service not unlike radio cabs, minus the air-conditioning and printed receipts.

It’s an exciting prospect and will find many takers. But does this mean we can finally give up our auto-baggage?

Mumbai's first auto rickshaw service went live on October 13.

The service went live on October 13 and at 12:30 p.m. that day I placed my first call.

I’ve been a radio taxi user and have never succeeded in booking one from Andheri (West) to Bandra.

The distance isn’t much and traffic hellish. So drivers avoid it. But at Rickshawale, they took my details and said they’d confirm my 4 p.m. booking soon.

When two hours passed with no call, I dialed again and heard two men debating the fate of my booking. I’d decided to give up but at 3:30 pm was given an auto driver’s number and asked to co-ordinate with him.

People used to dealing with drivers will not have a problem (although a radio service should ideally eliminate that).

But first timers, especially ones not conversant in the local language, will find this frustrating.

However, it’s early days and according to the founders, the system is automated and will work seamlessly in a week. The two auto guys I spoke to said they’d been given a cell phone to receive customer details. Each driver also has a GPS device.

My auto driver, Shuklaji, arrived just five minutes past 4 p.m. in a regular black-yellow auto with Rickshawale.com stickers. He said he was tired of customers accusing him of a faulty meter and so decided to join the company.

Unlike radio cabs, Richshawale autos aren’t private and haven’t broken away from the union. And therein lies the problem.

Autos in Mumbai are erratic. If fuel prices increase, they go on strike; if they want fares hiked, they go on strike; and as the city witnessed recently, if the RTO (Regional Transport Office) hauls them up for faulty meters, yes, they go on strike.

In cases like these, the company will have no say and it poses a risk to the stability of their operations and customer satisfaction guarantee.

By the time I wanted to return, Mumbai’s freak showers had decided to turn up. It was 7.30 p.m. and I was stranded on Linking Road, Bandra (West).

Unfortunately, my call to Rickshawale this time was in vain. Autos for the rest of the day were booked. Peak hour had become my undoing.

Rickshawale: Round two

The next day I decided to test them on the route I call "to-hell-and-back."

If you’ve ever wanted to get to Andheri station from anywhere on Link Road, Andheri (West), you’ll know what I mean. Absolutely no auto guy says yes to that ride (and if anyone has figured out why, please enlighten us).

I booked an auto for 5:30 p.m. at 2 p.m.. There were a few tense moments when my booking wasn’t confirmed till 5 p.m. (something the company will have to work on). But by 5:15 p.m.  I was given the green light. So I planted myself in front of Laxmi Industrial Estate. My auto was on its way.

The owners had expected around 300 calls when they went live. They received 1,000.

Does this mean we can finally break up with other auto guys? They plan to expand, but Rickshawale currently has only 300 autos. So maybe soon, but not yet.

Fares run according to a regular mechanical meter with a Rs 20 surcharge for each trip. It’s Rs 10 for the elderly, disabled and expectant mothers.

Call +91 (0)22 2574 7474 or log on to www.rickshawale.com to make a booking.