Homegrown ride-hailing service wins cabbies’ trust, set for Feb-end launch

SHILLONG, Feb 4: Where major ride-hailing giants have struggled to enter Meghalaya, ‘Himalayan Shuttle’, a homegrown ride-hailing service aimed at making travel more efficient while ensuring fair earnings, has won the trust of local taxi drivers by offering a fair profit-sharing model.
The Himalayan Shuttle service, brainchild of Shillong’s Porimol Sinha, is set to be launched by the end of this month.
Porimol decided to turn his experience of nearly two decades behind the wheel into a full-fledged business. This was possible for him with the support of co-founder, Srujan Kotum, who helped develop the portal and manage logistics of the service, and the backing of local taxi associations.
The service will launch with 25 drivers who have been onboarded after months of discussions with the taxi union.
“Drivers will take home the majority of their earnings, and we are just bridging the gap between them and passengers,” he said.
Porimol, who has spent years navigating the roads of Meghalaya, saw firsthand the struggles faced by taxi drivers — long waiting hours, unpredictable earnings, and the absence of a streamlined booking system. Inspired by these challenges, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
“I have been driving since 2008, and I know how difficult it is to get passengers at the right time and place. We often waste hours waiting at taxi stands or airports with no way to know when we’ll get our next ride,” Porimol said. “I wanted to create something that helps both drivers and passengers — a service that makes travel easier and ensures drivers earn fairly.”
Himalayan Shuttle will initially operate on key routes, including Shillong to Guwahati — one of the busiest travel corridors in the region. Instead of a data-heavy app, the platform will use a lightweight booking system, ensuring accessibility even in areas with low internet connectivity.
In its second phase, Himalayan Shuttle aims to expand beyond taxis. The venture plans to introduce a two-wheeler ride service and connect local businesses, including small enterprises in food and agriculture, to better logistics solutions. There are also plans to integrate tourism packages, offering guided travel experiences for visitors.
“We want to grow step by step. First, we focus on taxis, and then expand to tourism and business logistics. Meghalaya has a huge potential, and we want to build a service that truly benefits the people,” Porimol said.