You, Mumbai and the AUTOs

Auto/Taxi in Mumbai doesn't want to go where you want to but they want you to go where they want to go. Sometimes they ridicule you with that strange smiling face as if you asked him to take you a free ride while most of the time it’s a BIG no for your first request. If the request is for a place near, which as a fact according to us is not walking distance you are wasting your time even thinking of asking about it but if its far way place it should be within the Zonal preference of that Auto(e.g going West fromThe East).
When we classify them, they fall majorly into the below categories according their Business Model:
I. Sharing types
II. Fixed Charge Types
III. Geographical Specific Types
IV. The Wanderer
One of the many facts about the Sharing types is their date Specificity for certain geography and the full circle of the fleet of autos each month following the same across. While they say no one day other day the same Auto will be ready to take you by surprise to your same destination as yesterday. Each day while you await that Lucky Auto of yours for your comfort ride, you also look around for someone of opposite sex to accompany you within that closed space of Auto at least for that few minutes ride. In few people these emotions run so strong that few have lost jobs due to Late Coming everyday and few a professional friendship. As nothing compares to the Comfort of Sharing the Auto Fare, the Sharing Types business model continue to blossom.
The Fixed Charge types are the most adamant and so are the Customers paying it. They want the Auto/Taxi to get paid for the same and crib about the same during the travel in the same Auto/Taxi about it too. These are very rare types but if found takes the whole credit of the request befalling them as charity done for getting paid may be double couple of times of the routine.
Most funny in the Type of Business model are Geographical Types. As the name suggests no clue as to what these types are so are these types. They will travel between a specific distance and do that all around throughout the day and still eat the bigger pie of the cake too. These are the one who will laugh at you with that giggling smile among their fellow mates when a sudden request for a different geographical area is made or reasoned over.
As basic fact goes Autos/Taxi should comfort you with all time availability everywhere, but as their availability everywhere there are little places remaining which suits their comfort, when for the strange fact their existence is because you need comfort.

Rahul Anil Rathi

2nd Oct 2008