GPS-enabled green autos

GPS-enabled green autos


Ashwini M SripadFirst Published : 18 Aug 2009 05:00:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 18 Aug 2009 08:33:26 AM IST
BANGALORE: Bangalore rikshaw-wallahs have never hesitated of refusing passengers.
But now, passengers can hope to have to last laugh. If the green autorickshaw proposal gets going, then there will not only be more rickshaws on the road, they will also be nonpolluting.
There are more than 80,000 autorickshaws in Bangalore. The Transport Department has proposed that 1,000 GPS-enabled green autos be added to this fleet.
Adarsha auto-drivers union president, Manjunath, said that the transport department has placed the proposal before the Cabinet but the final word is no t out yet.
Manjunath said that these vehicles will be painted green and yellow to distinguish them from the other autos. The green auto drivers will wear navy blue trousers and light blue shirts.
Manjunath said that green autos will have a small LCD screen just behind the driver’s seat. “One can display ads similar to the ones in BMTC Volvo buses,” he said. Drivers will also get a health insurance of Rs 5 lakh.
There will be one main call-centre and four sub-centres at the south, north, east and west regions. “Passengers can call the call-centre, which in turn will alert the sub-centre concerned so that autos can be sent to the caller’s home,” he added.
Bangalore Auto Drivers Co-operative Society Limited president, Somashekar, said that green auto drivers will be required to have a minimum educational qualification of having passed eight standard.
For auto drivers
The society will help the interested buy an auto, with that they can become driver-cum-owner of the auto.
However, the permit will be controlled by the society. “If we come to know that driver misbehaved, we will warn him and further permit can be cancelled,” he said. These drivers will also be getting behaviourial training.
Somashekar said that these autos will not just have electronic fare meter, but a print out of the bill can be taken, which will have details like distance travelled, from where to where and time taken. The printed bill will also have contact number of the driver, in case, customers left their luggage, they can contact him back.
These vehicles will also have a wireless walkie talkie connection. “Once the centre gets call from the customer, drivers are informed about the location through this,” he said.