Taxing times: 500 Meru drivers on strike

New Delhi: Commuters using radio cabs for their commute are an aggrieved lot as drivers of one the major radio cab operators, Meru Cabs, stayed off the roads on Wednesday. With barely 100 of the 1,200 cabs in service, a majority of those calling the call centre were turned away. The drivers are on strike as they are demanding a reduction in the daily subscription amount which is required to be paid to the company. Since its inception three years ago, this is for the first that the business model of radio cabs is being challenged.
    ‘‘I called the call centre for a cab from the airport to Defence Colony but couldn’t get one. Meru is one of the few efficient operators. How can such a strike be tolerated in a private setup,’’ asked Devyani Khanna, a chartered accountant.
    The problem has arisen as over 500 cab drivers called a strike and put the fleet off the roads. On Tuesday, one of the cabs plying on the road was reportedly damaged after which the operator sent out an alert to the drivers to be careful and not to ply on the routes affected by the strike. Officials said that since commuter safety is paramount, the company took a decision to allow drivers to take a decision on whether they wanted to be out on the roads or not. With the result, a majority of the fleet remained off the roads on Wednesday.
    ‘‘We want the company to reduce the daily subscription amount from the present Rs 800 to Rs 600. We are not getting as many calls from the call centre and there are several days when drivers have to pay this amount from their own pockets,’’ said Daljit Singh (name changed on request), a driver. The striking drivers are sitting in protest in Dwarka Sector 11.
    The operator, meanwhile, contend that only a handful of drivers are holding the entire service to ransom. ‘‘We have heard the grievances of the drivers and found that the two leaders who came to us have actually earned Rs 70,000 and Rs 50,000 last month as per our records. On an average too, a Meru driver earns about Rs 53,000 and after paying the subscription and CNG, their take home is about Rs 22,000,’’ said Rajesh Puri, CEO, Meru Cabs.
    He added that the company is willing to listen to the demands of drivers and even ensure more business for drivers who are making less than Rs 10,000-12,000 per month. ‘‘We have financial records of all the drivers and we can increase business for those who are not getting much money. We expect a solution by Thursday,’’ said Puri.
    megha.suri@timesgroup.com 

SERVICES HIT: The drivers are seeking a reduction in daily subscription amount