The times are changing. Traveling by taxis which was once a luxury is now the choice of a common man. Commuters are now looking for more comfort and style while choosing the cab service, even if they have to shell out some extra bucks. This has in fact brought in a lot of changes in the cab services industry. The industry which was earlier dominated by services from Tata Motors is now seeing newer entrants providing better and better services. The segment which comprises of metered taxi, radio cabs and air-cooled vehicles, was once ruled by the Indigos and the Indicas on the road. But now, the game has been changed by companies like Toyota, Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki who are offering specific variants for the taxi market.
“Toyota volumes are gaining at the expense of Tata Motors. Toyota Etios is now a preferred option due to its high mileage and brand name. Even though it (Etios) is more expensive (in terms of price), operators are lapping it up and treating it as a luxury taxi,” an official from India Reality Research said.
Commuters are now opting for the Toyota Etios sedan, Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire and Hyundai Accent cabs, which provide better quality when compared to the Tata counterparts. Also, the segment is getting converted to GPS-assisted cabs and taxis and the commuters pay a fixed charge with some premium to get that assured service quality. And, this is exactly what the companies are banking on to grab their share of the market. The service providers are competing with each other by providing a global travel experience to their customers. For that matter, Toyota in its new specialized strategy is training taxi drivers in Bangalore on chauffeur etiquette’s and on the prudent use of new technology. Perhaps, these changes are getting reflected in the urban areas, but in the suburbs and smaller cities, Tata Motors is still the big player.
