The taxis and cab service providers in Bengaluru are getting annoyed by the incidents of private vehicles with white number plates being used for business operations.
As indicated by the findings, many drivers state that the practice puts their jobs at risk and distorts competition in favor of the hailing apps within the city’s transport market.
Yellow number plate providers offering hired taxis claim that individual vehicles engaged in business operations are avoiding key compliance laws that standard commercial vehicles must meet. Some of these are permits, check-ups on the safety of the vehicles, and taxes; odd as it may sound, these are important so that they can cover their backs in case of any incidents that may happen in their vehicles. Consequently, other private vehicles that engage in business activities enjoy a competitive edge because they do not incur these extras.
Taking on the private vehicles and licensed taxis, Mukund Kumar, a cab driver from Bengaluru, termed that “life in Bengaluru has changed considerably; where earlier one used to travel in his car, today he is paying fifteen rupees and journeying in your taxi. While white-board vehicles are Undisclosed? Yellow-board operators must purchase permits, pay taxes, and adhere to the vehicle standards.”
Kumar pointed out that the incursion of bus taxis and other private cars in the BRT mode compromises the income of legal taxis. He pointed out that this uncontrolled use of private cars is not only economically costing the licensed drivers a fortune they could be making on the roads but also justifiably posing questions about the safety of the passengers.
Deeply troubled by such development, it may be recalled that Suresh Naik, another cab driver, said that operating profits are already being threatened as competition comes from private cars free from proper compliance with regulatory requirements. He said this has put him in a situation where he struggles as a provider for his family.
The Karnataka Transport Department has now entered the picture to solve the problem; the officers stated that any private vehicle that is plying for profits will be towed, and the owner, as well as the driver, will be charged. To this end, the department has deployed ten specialized enforcement squads all over Bengaluru to monitor.
Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates