Bombay is going through a makeover and it’s exciting to spot new additions in the city. You can look around every couple of months and be assured that there will be some change in the city, some addition that you always believed to be unlikely. To the relief of all of us who have cursed aloud as a taxi driver cut into our lane almost scratching our perfectly maintained vehicle, (wondering how on earth they were given licenses when they can barely reverse, park, change lanes, or drive without creating a hazard for everyone else on the roads) private world-class metered taxi services have now come to Bombay and their employment standards set the bar much above the rest.
This is not the only reason for you to be ecstatic, even though it could well be reason enough to. The taxis in themselves offer a range of services that make the commute a lot more comfortable. Read on as we tell you about the light green Maruti esteems that function as taxis in the city, aka Meru taxis.
V-Link, a leading fleet management company, recently launched 'Meru', a world-class metered call taxi service in Mumbai. Anjan Deb, Chief Operating Officer, V-Link Group said, "We are committed towards providing our passengers with high quality service, reliable, comfortable and well-organized operations. From inception one of the core principles and policies that we have emphasized on is customer responsiveness in an effort to provide a product that meets with all the customers' requirements.”
These taxis are modern air-conditioned vehicles that are backed by GPS technology. This helps locate the taxis and dispatch them to the point of pick-up. Not just that, the worry of being swindled out of your money by tampered meters is eliminated since these taxis are fitted with digital meters that are 100% tamper-proof and the passenger is given a printed receipt on payment. What’s more, the payment can be made by cash or card.
They’ve begun with a fleet of 150 taxis in Bombay and plan to expand to 1000 cabs by the end of this year. The fare is at a premium as compared to the regular taxi fare keeping with the superior service on offer. You pay Rs.15 for the first kilometre, followed by Rs.13 for each further kilometre travelled. And they go the extra mile for this higher fare. Every morning the taxi is cleaned and a pleasant scent sprayed to ensure your comfort, drivers are hired only if they have a minimum of 3 years of experience on Bombay roads, and there are emergency security features in the cab, such as a Panic button that directly contacts the Control Centre, for the safety of the passengers.
The vision and concern of this service even extends to the problems that could occur during the monsoons and it has provided the best solutions it can. Meru offers umbrellas to all its passengers so that they can reach their destination warm and dry. There is also a first-aid kit in each taxi that might prove to be handy, god forbid, in the case of minor injuries during the rains.
Jay Shah, one of the early users of this service comments, “It’s almost like being in your own car. You’d barely be able to tell the difference.” Not only are these taxis improving the infrastructure of the city but are a great option for a long commute that demands comfort. These taxis can be booked 60 minutes in advance either online at www.merucabs.com, or by phone on 44224422 and they’ll pick you up at your doorstep. Meru also just expanded the areas it offers its advance booking service to include Andheri, Vile Parle, Santa Cruz, Goregaon, Malad, Vikhroli, Chembur and Powai in addition to the areas from South Bombay to Bandra and Kurla. Though, the destinations aren’t confined to any specific areas within the city. What’s better is that it’s a 24-hour service. So, just book this taxi an hour in advance and save yourself the bother of trying to hail one of the very few cabs you’ll spot at an odd hour in the night while the rain pours down on you.
Gold cabs are other such private metered taxis, offering a similar service, that can be booked by phone on 32443333 or 32449999 but these need to be booked about 3-4 hours in advance.
I hope this article got you as excited about the Meru taxis as I was when I first saw them. The emphasis on convenience and comfort is cheering and makes me imagine a world where, soon enough, everything is going to be only a phone call away. Brace yourself Bombayites as more changes await us!
Bombay is going through a makeover and it’s exciting to spot new additions in the city. You can look around every couple of months and be assured that there will be some change in the city, some addition that you always believed to be unlikely. To the relief of all of us who have cursed aloud as a taxi driver cut into our lane almost scratching our perfectly maintained vehicle, (wondering how on earth they were given licenses when they can barely reverse, park, change lanes, or drive without creating a hazard for everyone else on the roads) private world-class metered taxi services have now come to Bombay and their employment standards set the bar much above the rest. 
These taxis are modern air-conditioned vehicles that are backed by GPS technology. This helps locate the taxis and dispatch them to the point of pick-up. Not just that, the worry of being swindled out of your money by tampered meters is eliminated since these taxis are fitted with digital meters that are 100% tamper-proof and the passenger is given a printed receipt on payment. What’s more, the payment can be made by cash or card. 
They’ve begun with a fleet of 150 taxis in Bombay and plan to expand to 1000 cabs by the end of this year. The fare is at a premium as compared to the regular taxi fare keeping with the superior service on offer. You pay Rs.15 for the first kilometre, followed by Rs.13 for each further kilometre travelled. And they go the extra mile for this higher fare. Every morning the taxi is cleaned and a pleasant scent sprayed to ensure your comfort, drivers are hired only if they have a minimum of 3 years of experience on Bombay roads, and there are emergency security features in the cab, such as a Panic button that directly contacts the Control Centre, for the safety of the passengers.
The vision and concern of this service even extends to the problems that could occur during the monsoons and it has provided the best solutions it can. Meru offers umbrellas to all its passengers so that they can reach their destination warm and dry. There is also a first-aid kit in each taxi that might prove to be handy, god forbid, in the case of minor injuries during the rains. 
Gold cabs are other such private metered taxis, offering a similar service, that can be booked by phone on 32443333 or 32449999 but these need to be booked about 3-4 hours in advance. 
