Getting a radio taxi during peak hours is a struggle because there aren’t enough cabs, which is because there aren’t enough drivers. Now, one of the city’s most popular operators hopes to bring that to an end. Meru Cab Pvt Ltd will approach the transport department to do away with the restrictions of the kind of drivers that can be engaged under the Fleet Taxi Policy.

The existing rule, they say, is coming in the way of expanding their fleet. It says only drivers of black-and-yellow cabs with badges can be employed by these operators. Though the city has over one lakh such drivers, operators of these swanky cabs are struggling to get them to join them; another challenge, they say, is teaching such drivers the etiquette necessary for the clients they serve.

“We would like the transport department to allow us to employ drivers without badges, such as drivers with BPOs.,” said Mark Pereira, chief executive officer, Meru Cabs.

They feel relaxing the norms would open up a large pool of drivers to cater to an increasing demand.

The fleet taxi scheme launched by the government in 2006 has been a slow starter, largely due to intense opposition from the black-and-yellow-taxi unions.

Having launched operations in 2007, Meru now has 1,300 cabs on the road with as many drivers. According to Pereira, the average number of calls for booking a taxi cab is around 14,000 a day. But clients sometimes have to wait and many do not get one. “At times I’m 25th or 26th in the queue and a couple of times I did not get a cab as there was none available,” said Xavier Joseph, a BPO employee who regularly uses these cabs.

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