Finally after our persistence, Goa Government launched GOAMILES on Mon 6th Aug. Only 350 taxis out of 25,000 registered, out of this 25 drivers joined only to operate through airport counter as they were fined for picking passengers from outside, but don't support Goamiles app. About 3,000 have "shown interest" which is a hopeful statement.
The min fare is Rs162/6.5kms. So if you want to go from Fishmarket to St. Inex it's Rs162 for 1km. So locals will continue to use their cars as usual. Even at longer distance like Miramar to Anjuma beach the fare is Rs650/- for 22 kms. For the same distance in a city like Kochi Ola fare would be half.
GTDC and GOAMILES have shown inexperience in taxi business with their minimum price strategy for traffic congested city. If they were to fix minimum price as Rs80/3km instead of Rs162/6.5km, number of people using the taxi will increase many fold providing better utilization and earning for taxi driver. Taxigo experience at Rs199/10km on price viability should have been considered for price viability before they decided to build own app. Moreover petrol prices are 10% cheaper. Goa Government is party to the LOOT and has taken over loot from Taxi Mafia by setting up a monopoly. Mr. Nilesh Cabral's says "If it is expensive you stay at home".
Goan visitor who is in Goa for short duration, will continue to engage full day taxi as in old days as short trip of 30kms between towns costs Rs750.
Today some people got error from busy place like MallDe Goa "Sorry, no vehicle available to dispatch". Another said "after a lot of struggle with dropping pins manually on the map, I finally managed to find a taxi to O'Coquero in Porvorim, After confirming taxi, the pick up location has changed to some village called Sisimiut in Greenland, and drop location shows as a nightclub in Ulaanbataar, Mongolia, God help us". Many have reported that setting a pickup dropoff location was cumbersome. Those who are aware of the Quality of service offered by Ola Uber in other states and know what to expect have said "I wish they could invite experts like Ola Uber instead of experimenting with amateur company". There is also issue due to the use of GoogleMaps which calculates route based on taking U-turns through some points like Miramar Circle just to go other side of road. Like when you go from MallDeGoai to Kala Academy is higher by Rs80 as compared to opp side of road Military Hosp.
Even at this LOOT fare Taxi union does not want to join the app. They feel if app is successful Supreme Court will allow others like Ola Uber. The other issue is if the taxi unions decide to join GOAMILES then Govt will not have face to reduce the price later on. The taxi union will openly do goondagiri as they joined GOAMILES at current prices. Some taxi drivers have been arrested at the airport booth while assaulting GOAMILES staff and the union has declared the GTDC operation illegal, Taxi Mafia will not allow hotel passengers to be picked up through GOAMILES.
The Goa Government does not want to enroll local cars and drivers at present, this would have helped those who want to find gainful employment during their free time. The Government is fooling Goykars that it is service like Ola Uber. If no enrollment is allowed, the Government will always be at mercy of taxi mafia.
Another surprise that has come up is that it is not Cashless as claimed by Chef Minister. However the system will provide reports of earnings by taxi driver that may help with Tourism related income tax revenue for the first time in history of Goa. If it is a success, the earning figures will call their bluff. It will also help in taking decision based on numbers and gives an opportunity to negotiate with taxi union, manage system/take future pricing decisions for increasing earnings, etc. Also, once the data is available, there will be some financial trail to investigate multiple taxi ownership frauds, etc and the role of taxi mafia rule will diminish.
The rating and feedback will help the tourists and locals provide feedback so taxis will have to provide better experience.
Ola Uber would have provided much easier experience and lower pricing in line with rest of India. Taxi app will require registered drivers and the public to learn system. The process has to be fixed for loopholes and intelligent excuses the drivers and public come up with to beat the system. Payment issues and customer support have to be resolved and system and support have to work in the middle of power failure. All this would have been easier and faster with Ola Uber.
There are uncertainties on what more games Taxi union will play even if they join the system, what surprises they will bring with totally unrelated demands, whether they will come out on streets and damage vehicles, they already attempted to physically block vehicles at airport, they have threatened to prevent pickup through app at hotels and may take Government to ransom again. How they succeed in their efforts will determine the foolishness of the Goa Government.
There is no incentive provided for people to start changing their old habit of using own car like initial free coupon of Rs200 to be used within a month, like Ola provides. This would have gone a long way to accelerate the speed of adoption so that the taxi drivers who have not joined and are watching the fun will also be forced to join the service. The system should provide incentives for cab owners to ensure drivers do not switch off their mobiles and provide minimum number of rides.
The surge pricing is planned later but that should only be done after reducing fares in line with other states. By calling GOAMILES taxi app "like Ola Uber" the people are getting fooled. Current system is based on calling the nearest driver and hopefully in future new feature should be considered to give preference to driver that has the lowest earning for the week/month. That would be necessary specially in Goa to counter Taxi union goondagiri at 3/5 star hotels.
As per Constitution of India - the Competition Act, 2007, it is the fundamental right of every Indian - act prohibits anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position by enterprises and regulates combinations which causes or likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition within India. This right has been denied to Goans by the selfish elected representatives who are not sure of getting elected if they don’t allow the vote bank loot the entire population, and also surprisingly will always be at the mercy of the Taxi Mafia.
Chief Minister promised in Jan 2018 buses from airport at every 15 mins but there is nothing so far. So far Taxi app seems to be just another GTDC mess like amphibian vehicle and HopOnHopOff buses as repeated failures with same people calling the shots.
8 Aug 2018 Those who find taxi fares high, stay at home. Taxi operators objections to app misguided : Cabral
https://youtu.be/3o-za7OYlMU
9 Aug 2018 The service will continue: Nilesh Cabral
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/The-service-will-continue-Nilesh-Cabral-/134535.html
9 Aug 2018 Waiting and watching
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Waiting-and-watching/134534.html
9 Aug 2018 Now, rickshaws, motorcycle taxi ‘pilots’ under Goamiles soon
http://www.navhindtimes.in/now-rickshaws-motorcycle-taxi-pilots-under-goamiles-soon/
9 Aug 2018 After taxis, Goa Miles eyes rickshaws and motorcycles
http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=44704
8 Aug 2018 Will it be a ‘happy’ time?
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Will-it-be-a-%E2%80%98happy%E2%80%99-time/134490.html
7 Aug 2018 Will the new App go the extra mile?
http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=44644
8 Aug 2018 The app’s here, the performance will tell if it’s a success
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Editorial/The-app%E2%80%99s-here-the-performance-will-tell-if-it%E2%80%99s-a-success/134459.html
8 Aug 2018 Five taxi owners booked for assaulting Goamiles app staff
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Five-taxi-owners-booked-for-assaulting-Goamiles-app-staff/134481.html
8 Aug 2018 GoaMiles staff at Dabolim heckled
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/goamiles-staff-at-dabolim-heckled/articleshow/65314683.cms
8 Aug 2018 GoaMiles may lead to fury, warn North Goa cabbies
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/goamiles-may-lead-to-fury-warn-north-goa-cabbies/articleshow/65314666.cms
7 Aug 2018 Finally, Goa rolls out a taxi-app service
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Finally-Goa-rolls-out-a-taxiapp-service/134457.html
7 Aug 2018 Goa starts its own app-based taxi service, a first by state
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/goa-starts-its-own-app-based-taxi-service-a-first-by-state/articleshow/65299389.cms
7 Aug 2018 Ola & Uber Have Competition, Goa Now Has Its Own App-Based Taxi Service
https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/ola-uber-have-competition-goa-now-has-its-own-app-based-taxi-service-350772.html
7 Aug 2018 Some cabbies join tourism corp counter, but not app
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/some-cabbies-join-tourism-corp-counter-but-not-app/articleshow/65299390.cms
6 Aug 2018 TOURISM DEPT LAUNCHES ‘GOA MILES’, FACES OPPOSITION FROM SOUTH GOA TAXI OWNERS
https://youtu.be/nGLWN5k_sb4
6 Aug 2018 Taxi app launch
https://www.facebook.com/GoaMilesOfficial/videos/706400366381311/
6 Aug 2018 Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Launching #GoaMiles, Goa's First App based Taxi
https://www.facebook.com/goacm/videos/1842853749140788/
6 Aug 2018 SOUTH GOA TAXI OPERATORS UNHAPPY WITH AAP BASED TAXI SERVICE
https://youtu.be/LxutmWliOp4
6 Aug 2018 SOUTH GOA TAXI OPERATORS OPPOSED NEWLY LAUNCHED TAXI APP SERVICES
https://youtu.be/vZ0zTtiMrsg
6 Aug 2018 South Goa cabbies oppose govt’s app-based service
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/south-goa-cabbies-oppose-govts-app-based-service/articleshow/65285270.cms
6 Aug 2018 S Goa taxi operators upset with tourism dept’s app
http://www.navhindtimes.in/s-goa-taxi-operators-upset-with-tourism-depts-app/
6 Aug 2018 TTAG welcomes new App based taxi service in Goa
http://thegoaspotlight.com/ttag-welcomes-new-app-based-taxi-service-in-goa/
21 Jul 2018 ALL GOA TAXI UNION HELD AGITATION AT DABOLIM AIRPORT ALONG WITH ALEIXO REGINALD LOURENCO
https://youtu.be/aRqm_Mk10_o