Among other cab operators, Meru Cabs too has come up with innovative initiatives for the odd-even. Meru has announced that it is adding more cabs to its fleet during this period. This will be achieved by encouraging more driver-partners to sign-in by lowering (10 per cent) the commissions charged to them, which has increased cab supplies on the road. Meru says that they also engage and support the driver-partners during such a sudden rise in demand. The cabs that are added are a mix of both hatchbacks as well as sedans. Meru says that vehicles with good condition that are comfortable for passengers is the priority. While the hatchback is practical and efficient, something with more comfort and for a family outing, the sedan Is the best option for long-distance and outstation ride.
We had a quick chat with Neeraj Gupta, founder and MD at Meru Cabs. He said that the company is planning a phased rollout of electric vehicles in Delhi and looking forward to starting the service before March 2020. Currently, they are looking to understand the traffic and mobility pattern, while evaluating the challenges in charging infrastructure in the city. So seeing a Mahindra e-Verito in Meru colours will not be a far fetched idea.
Surge pricing is something that makes customers stay away from cabs during peak times. Meru says that during the odd-even, they will not have a surge pricing in place. This along with the addition of more cabs should ensure that a customer will not have issues going to his/her destination and at optimised rates.
Along with Meru, other cab operators like Ola and Uber too have announced that they will not have a surge pricing policy during odd-even. Is odd-even working or will it reduce pollution as much as expected? For answers, check our detailed analysis.
