Alternative to driving - MERU cab

shekharlele · 1st August 2007, 21:20

Hey guys,

Just had an incident with my Indica and it was in the garage for a couple of days. I stay in Andheri W Mumbai and my office is at Andheri East (about 4 kms. away with heavy traffic especially the evenings and tons of pollution). Since I had to look for alternative commuting options, I tried this new Meru Cab service last evening. Just called them up on their number and a green maruti esteem came to my office (about 10 mins. later than the time I had specified). The driver was in uniform and after I sat down in the cab, the driver switched on the ac and said 'Sir, I am now starting the meter', it was a digital tamperproof meter and even had GPS installed. The drive back home took 30 mins. was comfortable and it cost me 52 rupees with a receipt! A regular rickshaw costs me 35 bucks. I am quite impressed with these guys and feel it's a rather good way of commuting. The cabs charge Rs. 15 for the first kilometre and Rs. 13 for every kilometer after that. Maybe other fellow mumbaikars might wanna try this. Also heard of two other cab options, Gold Cab and Smart cab. Does anyone have any experience with these?

kurmist · 2nd August 2007, 19:02

Appreciate if you could put down Meru Cabs' numbers. Will certainly benefit other users. Thanks in advance.

vivekiny2k · 2nd August 2007, 23:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by shekharlele

Hey guys,

I was hoping to read "and then i woke up" at the end of it

.

GPS, courteous drivers, receipt, working meters.....too good to be true.

danlalan · 2nd August 2007, 23:28

Wow this is awesome news...want the numbers..can someone please post the numbers

rohan_fonseca · 3rd August 2007, 01:26

Does the meter charge when they stop at a traffic light as well?

anandpadhye · 3rd August 2007, 11:19

Super....Mumbai is Mumbai....I left Mumbai and now live in Pune due to my job (and generally feel good to have come out of the local train rush and bumper to bumper traffic and more importantly, I can enjoy my car here) but sometimes feel I am missing out on Mumbai life...it's so professional and different from rest of India...+ the sea + sandwitch...nobody here in Pune knows how to make a sandwitch!

yogi1771 · 3rd August 2007, 11:33

here is the number for meru taxi 02244224422 and something similar goldtaxi 02232443333

madan80 · 3rd August 2007, 17:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by rohan_fonseca

Does the meter charge when they stop at a traffic light as well?

from my experience - most digital meters go into wait mode - while at signals.

speedmiester · 3rd August 2007, 19:03

That is good news. Hope we get such good service in other cities also.

Ram · 3rd August 2007, 19:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by yogi1771

here is the number for meru taxi 022 4422 4422 and something similar goldtaxi 022 3244 3333

I once called the Mumbai Gold Taxi Co. as I wanted to try out their service for going from Chembur to M&M factory, Kandivli. The time was 08:00 am on a Tuesday. Wanted to experience the GPS-equipped cab that had been advertised.

The lady at the other end of the phone connection, said that all their cars were busy and I had to book three to four hours in advance.

I was crushed. The expectations of efficiency went poof !! I don't even book my Mumbai-Pune passage four hours in advance! So I just rolled out the Baleno and drove to Kandivli myself instead.

Friends, was my experience a rare anomaly? Or is this typical of every encounter with the Mumbai Gold Taxi service?

Rtech · 3rd August 2007, 19:23

Unfortunately they do not have enough cabs to satisfy the demand. Also, I believe that the regular black/yellow taxi unions have made sure that these private taxi services cannot roam the streets looking for fares.

Ram · 3rd August 2007, 19:45

Well friends.
It looks like the teal colored Meru Cabs have a website.
Click on the image.

Here's a question from their FAQs:

Can I call for a cab right now?
At present, MERU services are available at an advance notice of four hours before the time when you need the cab.

Ram

Hellcat · 3rd August 2007, 20:11

I wish someday we get such good service in Bangalore.

Hellcat

Mpower · 3rd August 2007, 22:07

I thought they start their meters when the leave their premises not at your doorstep. This is how private (daily rental) taxis operate.

rohan_fonseca · 4th August 2007, 00:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by madan80

from my experience - most digital meters go into wait mode - while at signals.

Been in cabs abroad wherein there is a fare in wait mode as well.

1st August 2007, 21:20	#1
shekharlele BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 100 Thanked: 5 Times	Alternative to driving - MERU cab Hey guys, Just had an incident with my Indica and it was in the garage for a couple of days. I stay in Andheri W Mumbai and my office is at Andheri East (about 4 kms. away with heavy traffic especially the evenings and tons of pollution). Since I had to look for alternative commuting options, I tried this new Meru Cab service last evening. Just called them up on their number and a green maruti esteem came to my office (about 10 mins. later than the time I had specified). The driver was in uniform and after I sat down in the cab, the driver switched on the ac and said 'Sir, I am now starting the meter', it was a digital tamperproof meter and even had GPS installed. The drive back home took 30 mins. was comfortable and it cost me 52 rupees with a receipt! A regular rickshaw costs me 35 bucks. I am quite impressed with these guys and feel it's a rather good way of commuting. The cabs charge Rs. 15 for the first kilometre and Rs. 13 for every kilometer after that. Maybe other fellow mumbaikars might wanna try this. Also heard of two other cab options, Gold Cab and Smart cab. Does anyone have any experience with these?
	(2) Thanks

2nd August 2007, 19:02	#2
kurmist BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 95 Thanked: 77 Times	Appreciate if you could put down Meru Cabs' numbers. Will certainly benefit other users. Thanks in advance.
	() Thanks

2nd August 2007, 23:28	#4
danlalan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: mumbai,JUHU Posts: 1,636 Thanked: 263 Times View My Garage	Wow this is awesome news...want the numbers..can someone please post the numbers
	() Thanks

3rd August 2007, 01:26	#5
rohan_fonseca BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Panaji Posts: 984 Thanked: 8 Times View My Garage	Does the meter charge when they stop at a traffic light as well?
	() Thanks

3rd August 2007, 11:19	#6
anandpadhye Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 3,054 Thanked: 3,313 Times	Super....Mumbai is Mumbai....I left Mumbai and now live in Pune due to my job (and generally feel good to have come out of the local train rush and bumper to bumper traffic and more importantly, I can enjoy my car here) but sometimes feel I am missing out on Mumbai life...it's so professional and different from rest of India...+ the sea + sandwitch...nobody here in Pune knows how to make a sandwitch!
	() Thanks

3rd August 2007, 11:33	#7
yogi1771 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 697 Thanked: 15 Times	here is the number for meru taxi 02244224422 and something similar goldtaxi 02232443333
	() Thanks

3rd August 2007, 19:03	#9
speedmiester Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 2,387 Thanked: 6,631 Times	That is good news. Hope we get such good service in other cities also.
	() Thanks

3rd August 2007, 19:23	#11
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,770 Thanked: 359 Times View My Garage	Unfortunately they do not have enough cabs to satisfy the demand. Also, I believe that the regular black/yellow taxi unions have made sure that these private taxi services cannot roam the streets looking for fares.
	() Thanks

3rd August 2007, 19:45	#12
Ram Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Singapore, Mumbai, Nagpur Posts: 2,166 Thanked: 219 Times View My Garage	Well friends. It looks like the teal colored Meru Cabs have a website. Click on the image. Here's a question from their FAQs: Can I call for a cab right now? At present, MERU services are available at an advance notice of four hours before the time when you need the cab. Ram
	() Thanks

3rd August 2007, 20:11	#13
Hellcat BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 222 Thanked: 5 Times View My Garage	I wish someday we get such good service in Bangalore. Hellcat
	() Thanks

3rd August 2007, 22:07	#14
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,730 Times View My Garage	I thought they start their meters when the leave their premises not at your doorstep. This is how private (daily rental) taxis operate.
	() Thanks