By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Taxis are here to stay even though bus services have started in the city. An interaction with the local taxi drivers in the city reveal that that they aren’t affected with the start of the bus service since commuters still look to comfort and readily available taxis.
When asked in this regard, a local taxi driver who plies from Mawkhar to Polo route said that despite the spurt associated with the starting of the bus service in the town, there are many passengers who still look for a cab. “The habit of waiting and catching a bus from a bus stand is not found among the public here as they are used to readily available shared taxis,” reasoned the driver. Another such driver who commutes in the Happy Valley sector said that buses have certain timings and frequencies and passengers have to adjust with the timings of the city buses unlike taxis. “It is like, given a bus ride and taxi ride, which one will you chose,” said this driver. They also opined that since the bus service is new, everyone is attracted towards it but gradually passengers will have to return to the taxis as it comfortable and convenient.
Then there are cabbies who have started feeling the heat of the buses in the town. These taxi drivers said that they have lost passengers. “It is hard to get passengers now and I have to go ahead with three passengers in every trip instead of five,” said a Last Stop – Police Bazaar route cabbie. Like him anothers said with the start of the buses in town, passengers are now left with many options.It has been seen that after the start of the bus service, passengers are now increasingly relying on this service. But then the buses are not free of complaints as commuters say that in some routes in the town, buses are not found frequently. These passengers said that there should be more buses connecting different and longer routes.Meanwhile, W Jyrwa, General Secretary, East Khasi Hills Local Taxi Welfare Association (EKHLTWA) said that there is no affect on the local taxis here since taxis ply according to the criteria of the commuters. “With the start of the city bus service in the town it has rather helped the local taxis since they don’t take the short distance passengers and that vacuum is filled up by the buses,” said Mr Jyrwa.
He also said that the buses have certain embarkation and disembarkation point from where passengers can only take buses but that is not so in case of taxis since passengers can hire a taxi from his/her doorstep from inside their localities, too.
“There are many passengers who rely on taxis say if they have goods and other belongings with them,” said the general secretary adding that his association has urged the government to provide an embarkation disembarkation point for the local cabbies here.