Common Man's Transport: Autorickshaw - Do meters do justice?

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

You have left out few important components.

1. Capital cost. A new on the road rick costs about 1.25 lakh - interest at 12% works out to mere Rs. 500 per day.
2. Depreciation - say 8% works out to a cool 333.33 INR per day.
3. Insurance and taxes - not sure, but at least INR 50/- per day.
4. Hafta (unauthorised demands form people who break the law)
5. Bribe (unauthorised demands form people who are supposed to enforce the law)
6. Fines for traffic offences

Does the math ramain same now??

Thanks for bringing in these factors. But points 1,2&3 apply only for owner-driven autos.
1. Rs.500 a day will be Rs. 15000 a month! I don't think that you will end up paying that much for an auto loan of Rs.1.25lakh! Typically, for a 5 year loan, the EMI will be around Rs. 3000 which works out to Rs.100 per day.
2. Again, I believe this amount should be Rs. 27 per day(8% of 1.25L is 10000 per year, per day is only 27)
3. Again, even a 12% will yield only around Rs. 30-35 per day

All in all, the above figures total out to around Rs. 150-200, but guess what, they don't pay rental charges for their vehicles, hence both components cancel out and they would still end up earning the same or even a little more than the rented ones!

4, 5 & 6 - Very True! Even the video talks about the autowalas cribbing about this. Sadly, there is no way to put a figure to this component.

But, like I said since these calculations are conservative, the realistic figures will be able to compensate the above mentioned points, don't you think so?

Again, the whole point is if each one of us can talk to the autowalas that we hire about this basic calculation, and ask them to follow meters for just a day, and even if it brings about 10% change, it is a welcome!

[amtak]

Last couple of days, I am travelling to Trident BKC (In Mumbai) from Kalanagar, Bandra (Mumbai folks would know). I believe the distance is at the max 5 kms, but on a daily basis my fare varies between 25 - 40. How is that possible? It is a clear case of cheating.

I have an interesting obervation, if you look for a rickshaw fellow, who is a bit elderly, the chances are that his meter is not tampered. The reason? They have filled in their kms on the road; they are more interested in ferrying passengers and making an honest living than the young chaps who are on a lookout for making quick money and blowing it somewhere else.

Don't believe me? try it out yourself. Travel in a rickshaw that looks old and is rickety, you may find an honest driver there who is just trying to earn a daily living.

[EagleEye]

Originally Posted by amtak

Last couple of days, I am travelling to Trident BKC (In Mumbai) from Kalanagar, Bandra (Mumbai folks would know). I believe the distance is at the max 5 kms, but on a daily basis my fare varies between 25 - 40. How is that possible? It is a clear case of cheating.

I have an interesting obervation, if you look for a rickshaw fellow, who is a bit elderly, the chances are that his meter is not tampered. The reason? They have filled in their kms on the road; they are more interested in ferrying passengers and making an honest living than the young chaps who are on a lookout for making quick money and blowing it somewhere else.

Don't believe me? try it out yourself. Travel in a rickshaw that looks old and is rickety, you may find an honest driver there who is just trying to earn a daily living.

I completely agree with this. I too, have noticed that there are huge variations between auto fares in Mumbai for the same length of road.
In one edition of Mumbai Mirror it was reported that over 200 auto meters had been confiscated due to tampering, which was around 50% of the number of autos checked.

Which means that in Mumbai you have a 50% chance of traveling in an auto with a tampered meter!!

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by luvurride

Thanks for bringing in these factors. But points 1,2&3 apply only for owner-driven autos.
1. Rs.500 a day will be Rs. 15000 a month! I don't think that you will end up paying that much for an auto loan of Rs.1.25lakh! Typically, for a 5 year loan, the EMI will be around Rs. 3000 which works out to Rs.100 per day.
2. Again, I believe this amount should be Rs. 27 per day(8% of 1.25L is 10000 per year, per day is only 27)
3. Again, even a 12% will yield only around Rs. 30-35 per day

Well, yes, you are right. I simply did a calculation and divided by 30, I ought to have divided by 365.

All in all, the above figures total out to around Rs. 150-200, but guess what, they don't pay rental charges for their vehicles, hence both components cancel out and they would still end up earning the same or even a little more than the rented ones!

Rentals in Kochi are around 250, IIRC. Per day.

4, 5 & 6 - Very True! Even the video talks about the autowalas cribbing about this. Sadly, there is no way to put a figure to this component.

OTOH, hafta of all kinds happen only in places where ricks overcharge. This becomes a vicious circle.


I have talked to them and realise that for break even, they need to gross around 1200 to 1500 per day. Depending on road and traffic conditions and nature of trips. A 5 KM trip down the highway is very different from two 2.5 KM trips in the city's gallis - even if stop and go traffic is not there.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

I have talked to them and realise that for break even, they need to gross around 1200 to 1500 per day. Depending on road and traffic conditions and nature of trips. A 5 KM trip down the highway is very different from two 2.5 KM trips in the city's gallis - even if stop and go traffic is not there.

That's exactly what I'm talking about! When my conservative calculations can bring about 800-1000, I'm sure they'll gross that figure in reality. If we can talk this sense to atleast the autowalas we hire, I'm sure change will happen!

[infotech58]

for sure more than 80% (very conservative estimate) of Mumbai's autowala's run with tempered meters. I have traveled from Mulund Check Naka to Hiranandani Powai everyday for around two months (Apr/May 2011) by Auto and have seen the fare varying between 75-120 under similar traffic conditions. Almost everyday the meter use to show 95-100 which is 20% more than the correct fare (75-80). I was so fed up after some time that I started to take a metered cab (non AC with digital meter) for a week and the fare was 105-110. How can cab fare and Auto fare be same for the same distance? definitely, automen are cheating.

ran into a surprise though, few days ago traveled in an Auto that had a DIGITAL meter and was not tempered; upon inquiring with the driver about the digital meter thing, he told that there are around 300-400 autos in mumbai with digital meter and the same could not be implemented any further because of resistance from the auto unions.

[EagleEye]

Originally Posted by infotech58

ran into a surprise though, few days ago traveled in an Auto that had a DIGITAL meter and was not tempered; upon inquiring with the driver about the digital meter thing, he told that there are around 300-400 autos in mumbai with digital meter and the same could not be implemented any further because of resistance from the auto unions.

True, one of the newspapers ran an article once about the digital meters saying that they were nearly impossible to tamper with. Don't know the exact technology, but once it is opened up it will show "ERROR" on the screen and needs to be reconfigured at the govt. authorized center.

That's the main reason the auto drivers are opposing them vehemently, stating additional expenditure.

IMHO government should just slap a rule against the manual meters immediately and any autos using them should be reprimanded strictly.

[bullboy]

Worst

1. Ernakulam / Kochi

True. Infopark to South Railway station charge is around 200 Rs .I just cant digest this.That too on ape diesel that give atleast 18-20kmpl. So the running cost per kms is only 2.3Rs.
These guys makes a fortune.
In Kochi the auto's are looting the poor passengers and nothing can be done to them because of Union and other political pressures.

IMHO government should just slap a rule against the manual meters immediately and any autos using them should be reprimanded strictly

I have seen autos with digital meter as I think it is mandatory for newer models on the road.
But these guys will not reset it. They will reset the meter in the first trip and keeps it running for rest of the day. So passengers cant make out the exact amount. If you ask them to reset they simply refuse to do so and asks to get out of the vehicle.

Many times I have felt just to shoot these guys if I had the permission to do so, Such adamant and inhuman behaviour

[hrman]

Originally Posted by infotech58

for sure more than 80% (very conservative estimate) of Mumbai's autowala's run with tempered meters. , he told that there are around 300-400 autos in mumbai with digital meter and the same could not be implemented any further because of resistance from the auto unions.

Agree. My experience also has got me to face many "Honestly Dishonest" Autowallahs. I used to travel frequently from Dahisar to Andheri on Western express highway. I know the exact points with the meter readings such that in a long journey, I will immediatly point out to the driver that his meter is tampered. The usual response will be "Saab, aapko pata hai meter se kitna hota hai, usi hisaab se de dijiye" (Translated: You know how much the regular fare comes to, pay as per that).
I have also occasionally asked them why they are into cheating people with tampered meters, dont they want to earn a living with honest means. They usually say they have got this auto from someone and they have tampered the meter.
I have also faced a couple of occasions where the meter was running slower than what it should have. I paid the guy the actual fare as per my daily run.
One more tip is to look out for autos which have the 'For Hire" meter flag slightly tilted. Maybe at 80 to 85 degrees instead of 90 degrees. These are usually tampered meters.

[luvurride]

@infotech58
@EagleEye
@bullboy
@hrman

Can you try talking to these autowallahs the next time you take them with this simple calculation and tell them to do it atleast for one day?
I think Mumbai's government rates are slightly better than Chennai's that I have illustrated here. Referring a link here - http://http://www.magicalmumbai.com/...haw-fare-card/