While the Government is not able to enforce fares, we had the taxi strike due to "Speed Governors" and the app is another 9 months away. Government should apply the fares now to pre-paid taxis form the airport by correcting all inflated distances to various destinations in Goa. It does not have to wait until the taxi app is developed. Our team already submitted a letter to Transport Director about inflated distances and rates that has not been replied. At least let the taxis should get used to charging Govt approved fares. Thanks to Times of India they found that there is no shortage of speed governors. Dealers have committed to supply in a day's notice. The Government should provide the 4500 taxis who installed speed governors to display certificate "THIS TAXI HAS SPEED GOVERNOR" so these law abiding taxi drivers are preferred. The ideal solution to the taxi app is Ola/Uber a proven solution at no cost to tax payers and Government should be able to "negotiate" Goykarponn with Ola but here is the opinion based on current foolish decision by Govt. From the last debate "Rannmalem: Is app-based taxi service viable in Goa?" (fwd to @08:45) it is very clear that the taxi union and the Government cannot see eye to eye. There is a definite need for a change management role for taxi app implementation to bring the 2 together and this is normally essential part of any digital transformation project. The ideal candidate for this would be army officer with a more "futuristic" look if army has to be deployed. The person is also responsible for timeline and every delay is lost opportunity. This is all the more needed because of the uncivilized and rude behavior of the union and recent strike has set a bad precedent. The taxi union has clearly stated that they will not allow app based taxis. They want their allocated taxis at the hotel to get business. There are various things to be considered, some are mentioned here for "mitigation only" and definitely may not be true, we all trust and love our Goykar taxi drivers and some points are mentioned only part of normal "audit" process for due diligence. 1. In the name of Goykarponn taxi union is going too far allocating taxi drivers to hotels with the protection of Taxi union. They become loyal to the union and are potentially prepared to do anything for them even prepared to resort to violence to protect their lucrative jobs. Ironically it is also reported that old taxi drivers are not driving taxis anymore and have hired outsiders who have no love for Goa. 2. We all know that the gangs at the hotel are preventing residents from picking hotel guests. They have made this law that has been accepted by all hotels and is giving a bad name for Goa, hotels are helpless in protecting their business. The taxi union is breeding local gangs and getting away with draconian laws. Government knows this issue and is useless that it cannot enforce law and order, forget the taxi app for the moment. 3. This kind of favoritism can lead to the "suspected" illegal drugs and prostitution racket and must be banned even if there is "slightest" doubt. There is no point in turning a blind eye to this arrangement and wasting tax payer's money on policing. The loyalty and secrecy here could be so astonishing that the police are helpless. There is a "possibility" of commissions passed on to the taxi union hierarchy. 4. The rivalry between North and South Goa (even between smaller towns - see article:"battle between turfs..."), it is clear that taxi union is only breeding local gangs that requires threatening language to resolve the dispute. The fundamental rights are refused by gang operation and this is not good for society. Goa is turning the Mexico way with various mafias being united supported by notorious MLA and will be further abandoned by Tourists. 5. The drivers at hotels are known to get lucrative commissions at the 3-5 star hotels and may be going overboard crossing the line for decency by unorthodox means. In the absence of a feedback system these issues only get reported at travel forums as "skip Goa for tourism". 6. For better utilization, the logic for the taxi app is to select the driver that is nearest to the hotel, customer should be able to choose driver based on performance rating. However person who drops the guest at hotel cannot pick up one assigned to hotel. This will cause inefficiencies and higher fares. Which in turn reduces number of people who can afford taxi. Then drivers will complain that app has reduced their earning. Clearly this can cause potential unrest to abandon taxi app altogether. 7. Along with inefficiency as drivers have to go back without a passenger, it becomes environment unfriendly, some people will raise an eyebrow and Goa will get a bad name particularly from international tourists. 8. The taxi drivers should not be allocated based on hotel but should be allocated based on how much they earned so far. This would be easier to program in standard taxi app system than a list of drivers to specific hotels. And also provide better efficiency while meeting basic requirement of earning potential with better income distribution. Clearly reduces need for taxi drivers to be under control of Taxi union. 9. Cashless system should be compulsory as almost all taxi transactions are paid in cash, it is impossible to take a management decision. People say they are looted for thousands while taxi driver complain about livelihood saying they dont get customers. Once figures are available like in case of "Kadamba revenue of 15 lakhs in 3 days" it's possible to take supporting decisions, if this task was done by private bus operators they would have made 25 lakhs and government wouldn't have a clue about taking decisions. GTDC has been talking about the app for ages (see article dyd 28 Apr 2017) and now floated tender for taxi app with 19 Feb as the date. From cost and viability point of view it has to be a cloud based software already available and used elsewhere that has to have adapted to Goa. Normally this project is not like building Mandovi Bridge, it should not take more than 2-3 months. Then why is government saying app would be available in 9 months even before tender closing date ? Goans are clearly made a fool of here by saying it takes 9 months. It benefits the taxi lobby as they can keep looting for more time and it helps Government to carry on in their seats for some more time. As of now taxi union has clearly said they will not allow taxi app and there are already surprises like asking for toilets. The Govt is clearly at risk with another unrest. Taxi lobby has also mentioned in the debate they got 40 MLAs elected and are at their mercy which is a mistaken belief. But they will attempt to topple govt and the truth is the ones who support taxi revolution will have a better chance of getting elected. There seems to be a stalemate on the issue and a more "open" minded chief minister who is prepared to listen to Goans in India and abroad will definitely help. Kadamba cabs option is good but is gamble at the cost to tax payer when there could have been better options that could have been discussed but appointment with us is refused. Kadamba is run by govt employees and over period of time they has the "potential" of being controlled by mafia with their own interests. See last article on rent-a-cabs, the shameless Goan Politicians banned rent-a-cab and are banning Ola/Uber form operating in the "Tourist" state - "the court observed while noting that the state had no powers and yet had persisted with its position for several years and pointed out how the petitioners were forced to approach the High Court three times". Taxi lobby which has always successfully arm twisted the Government for decades to agree to their demands doesn't like to be called Mafia, please comment if this makes sense and what they should be called. THE SOLUTION: 1. Change management expert (pref army officer) to negotiate between taxi union and govt - GTDC. 2. Ban the allocation of taxi drivers to hotels and allocate a taxi driver in the app based on (1) nearness and (2) earning WeekToDate, earning MonthToDate, earning YearToDate. 3. Ensure all taxi payments are made through a cashless system only and people pay only in cash. They should be aware that cash payment can lead to app system being abandoned due to unrest over lies about earning. 4. Certificate for Speed Governor to taxis to be displayed in taxi as a preference for public safety. NEWS MEDIA: 28 Jan 2018 In battle for taxi turf, operators mark their business boundaries https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/in-battle-for-taxi-turf-operators-mark-their-business-boundaries/articleshow/62677235.cms 26 Jan 2018 Rannmalem: Is app-based taxi service viable in Goa? https://youtu.be/UuMmcQbChSI 25 Jan 2018 App-based taxi service in Goa by October http://www.navhindtimes.in/app-based-taxi-service-in-goa-by-october/ 26 Jan 2018 KTCL looking at app-based cab service https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/ktcl-looking-at-app-based-cab-service/articleshow/62657179.cms 24 Jan 2018 How Lobo & taxi operators took Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for a ride https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/how-lobo-taxi-operators-took-chief-minister-for-a-ride/articleshow/62628112.cms 24 Jan 2018 Many testify to how taxi lobby loots individuals https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/many-testify-to-how-taxi-lobby-loots-individuals/articleshow/62626302.cms 23 Jan 2018 People scared of hiring a cab in Goa https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/people-scared-of-hiring-a-cab-in-goa/articleshow/62613333.cms 28 Apr 2017 Ola And Uber Will Not Be Allowed, GTDC To Develop Its Own App For Taxi Service - Nilesh Cabral, GTDC Chairman https://chronicler.in/ola-uber-will-not-allowed-gtdc-develop-app-taxi-service/Goa/ 24 Jan 2018 Light at the end of the tunnel for rent-a-cabs? http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=40203