Black-and-yellow taxi app shuts down

MUMBAI: The black-and-yellow taxis in the city seem to have lost their first battle against app-based taxi aggregators as an app launched by their two unions has

MUMBAI: The black-and-yellow taxis in the city seem to have lost their first battle against app-based taxi aggregators as an app launched by their two unions has been discontinued due to lack of response from the commuters as well as cabbies.

HT Image

The CWD Technologies, the IT firm that had developed the app called ‘9211 Cabs’ for taxi unions shut down the app and back end operation last week. “We failed to get expected response from passengers and cabbies as well. So we have shut down the app,” said Malay Kothari, one of the partners of the company. “The cabbies just cry about losing business, but they are not ready to adopt changes.”

AL Quadros, leader of Mumbai Taximens Union, said initially the app, which was launched last year, had received good response , but it slowly went on reducing. Taxi union leaders blamed the failure on lack of financial support as they were unable to offer big discounts. “We did not have financial backing like Ola and Uber,” said Quadros.