Just a call away

It is around 5 a.m. Tentatively at first, and soon with decreasing gap of time, telephones start ringing in three control rooms in different parts of the city. No, these are not the police or fire station help-lines but the demand is no less urgent. And the danger here is nothing more than missing a flight or a train.

As the day breaks, requests pour in for the strategically parked Omnis and Ambassadors with phone numbers painted on them in bright colours. Soon, a fleet of vehicles in white and off-white is out cruising the city streets ferrying passengers. Peak hours are on for the Call Taxi Centres of Chennai.

When you make a call, your address is at once keyed into a computer and a call is made on a walkie-talkie to the nearest car. Once the driver gets his instructions, you get the code number of the car.

The car, an Omni if you had called Bharathi or Fast Track or an Ambassador if it is Chennai Taxi, is at your door in a matter of 15 minutes. A polite driver greets you, helps you in and activates the electronic meter when the car starts. After a comfortable journey, you pay the metered amount and go your way. You couldn't have asked for more!

``On November 10, 2000, Mr. Moopanar flagged off 36 of our call taxis,'' says K. Satyanarayana, one of the directors of Bharathi. ``Today, we run 110 Omnis. Most of the calls are from Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur and central Chennai.''

Why the Omni, which is somehow thought of as a get-away car? ``An Omni can drive into even small lanes,'' the director explains. ``Its sliding doors are a big help. Four passengers fit in comfortably with a reasonable amount of baggage.'' It is precisely for these reasons that Fast Track MD M. Durairajan signed up for 92 of the Maruti Omnis.``I am the second player in the business,'' he says. ``The original idea came from Bangalore and Singapore but I was egged on by the Omni's wireless mechanics." His cars hit the fast track on April 9, 2001.

``I mooted the idea at the Travel Owners Federation meeting held this past year,'' claims Ernest Paul, MD, Chennai Taxi, who has pinned his faith on an array of Ambassadors. (He began operations on June 27, 2001). He counts several reasons for his choice. ``At its cost, it is the only car that can carry five passengers. The boot can take in large suitcases as its 30-litre diesel tank is strapped to the side. It is a safe, accident-free vehicle and with the hand rest and cushioned seats, its comfort co-efficient is unbeatable."

``All our drivers have been trained in first aid at the Apollo Hospital,'' says Durairajan, zeroing in on the safety theme. ``Every car carries a first-aid kit. Uniform is mandatory and any complaint of drinking, the driver is fired at once." The three players claim co-operation in the trade. Their charges are the same. If one company is fully booked, the call is routed to another.

It is now left to the passenger to pass the final verdict. ``I had to reach seven kids home after a field trip to Karnataka,'' recalls Sankari Amritkumar, a schoolteacher based in Valasaravakkam. ``I came out of the station and walked to the area where call taxis are parked. We hailed a taxi and the driver helped us put our stuff in the trunk. The kids and I packed into the car and it is only then did I tell him where to go. Without a murmur, the driver dropped each and every one of us home. When I got off, to my utter surprise, the meter showed just Rs.140! After my bitter experiences with surly auto drivers, this was a heavenly ride.'' But she found the constant prattle of the wireless highly distracting.

``True, it makes noise,'' agrees Durairajan. ``But we need to monitor the car's movements. We just call one way to give instructions to the driver. Besides, the wireless helps in case of a breakdown. One of our three mechanics on call will reach the spot at once in another vehicle. The passenger can reach his destination without delay."

How are the travel companies meeting the challenge of the high- tech taxis? ``Only 10 per cent of our business has been affected,'' says the owner of Sai Travels, ``and that too in the `pick-up and drop' sector. Call taxis thrive on being mobile so they will not be hired for day-long or out-of-town jaunts. The worst-affected are the autorickshaws.'' On 24-hour call with no charge for luggage, the `call taxi' is a concept that is bound to succeed.

But the call taxi owners are cautious about the future. Satyanarayana would like the Transport department to extend the limits of the areas allowed. Durairajan seeks better co-operation from the patrons. ``It will take a taxi a minimum of 15 minutes from the time of the call has been made to reach the place,'' he points out. ``There is also the problem of finding the address. Arterial roads are prone to traffic jams. People expect the taxi to be at their door as soon as they put the phone down. They flare up at the smallest delay. We try our best to send the vehicle at once. It will help if the call is placed at least half an hour in advance.''

GEETA PADMANABHAN

Dial and relax

For those of you in need of a call taxi, here are some phone numbers.

Bharati -- 8142233

Fast Track -- 4732020

Chennai Call Taxi -- 5384455.

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