Cool cabs for a pool party

In a first for the taxis, the blue and silver fleet begins share-a-cab services to long distances

In a first for the taxis, the blue and silver fleet begins share-a-cab services to long distances

It happens only in Mumbai. Even as the recession shows vague signs of ebbing, Mumbaikars are getting smarter with money and inadvertently, more eco-friendly.

Commuters, who use cool cabs between work and home, can now sign up for a cab pool service with City Cool Cab, the first AC cabs in Mumbai.

MONEY SAVER: The Bandra-Worli Sea Link commute has a number of takers, as the toll also gets split by the number of passengers.

The blue and silver cab service has its own website where you can log in and state your requirements: time of pick-up and drop and destination of pick-up and drop.
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The company will then find others with a time and destination match.

Vijay Agunde, proprietor, City Cool Cab, said, "We have been collecting the database for over six months and have around 300 registrations.

However, there's a problem with coordinating the time as people don't like to wait for a pick up. We will be dedicating five cabs for the pool on a trial basis."
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Money matters

Added Agunde, "You would pay Rs 300 by the meter for travelling alone from Bandra to Nariman Point,
but on pooling, this amount is split between the passengers."

The Bandra-Worli Sea Link commute has a number of takers as the toll amount also gets split by the number
of passengers.

Commuters speak

Happy Journey: Commuters can now sign up for a cab pool service with City Cool Cab, the first AC cab service in Mumbai. It has its own website where you can log in and state your requirements

Anup Sanap (27) said, "I travel almost daily between Bandra and Colaba and take AC cabs.

When I heard of the cab pool, I signed up because I not only save money, but also get to meet people."

Yatin Umrotkar (25), another commuter who travels between Mulund and south Mumbai, said, "It's a good idea to cab pool. It's like a share taxi, but over a longer distance."

Service Available On

> Colaba to Bandra
> Mulund to Nariman Point
> Bandra to Nariman Point

11 lakh
Number of Mumbaikars who use taxis

Number Crunch

> There are 15 lakh vehicles in Mumbai, of which 3.5 lakh are cars and 55,000 are taxis.u00a0
> About 600 new vehicles hit the roads every week.
> There are more than 6.47 lakh two wheelers and more than 14,000 bicycles, according to the Mumbai Traffic Police website

Why is pooling necessary in Mumbai?

Mumbai is infamous when it comes to traffic congestion. With the ever-increasing number of vehicles, the state government is trying ways to decongest streets of Mumbai. Transport experts advocate car-pooling will solve traffic congestion to quiet an extent.

Restricting parking on arterial roads, car-pooling and increasing buses through dedicated bus lanes are the three effective measures to lessen vehicle density, said expert Ashok Datar. He said imposing conditions on car occupancy, which is an average 1.8 persons per car in Mumbai, is also possible.

The Mumbai traffic police had suggested a separate lane for highest occupancy vehicles to solve Mumbai's traffic congestion. A traffic official said, We have suggested a lane for highest occupancy vehicle.

In this lane only vehicles with more than three occupants will be allowed to use the lane. If a vehicle with only one or two occupancy takes this lane, the owner will be fined.
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By this, vehicle with highest occupancy will reach its destination faster. Car or cab pooling will definitely help solve Mumbai's traffic congestion.

Mumbai is infamous when it comes to traffic congestion. With the ever-increasing number of vehicles, the state government is trying ways to decongest streets of Mumbai. Transport experts advocate car-pooling will solve traffic congestion to quiet an extent.

Restricting parking on arterial roads, car-pooling and increasing buses through dedicated bus lanes are the three effective measures to lessen vehicle density, said expert Ashok Datar.

He said imposing conditions on car occupancy, which is an average 1.8 persons per car in Mumbai, is also possible.

The Mumbai traffic police had suggested a separate lane for highest occupancy vehicles to solve Mumbai's traffic congestion. A traffic official said, We have suggested a lane for highest occupancy vehicle.

In this lane only vehicles with more than three occupants will be allowed to use the lane. If a vehicle with only one or two occupancy takes this lane, the owner will be fined.

By this, vehicle with highest occupancy will reach its destination faster. Car or cab pooling will definitely help solve Mumbai's traffic congestion.