Cab Aggregator S3 To Launch In Mumbai; Will Take On Ola, Uber

Cabs are no more a luxury. In cities that have been crammed with new cars, traffic jams are part of one's daily commute. Thanks to cab aggregators like Ola and Uber, many a people have found solace in taking this transportation which is convenient and available at one's beck and call. So, it comes as no surprise when companies want to enter this field. Ola and Uber are all set to face some tough competition as a new cab-hailing service is all set to be launched in the next week in Mumbai. The company is called S3 and it says that it's more driver-focused in terms of fees and over-all benefits compared to its competition.

Promoted by city-based mid-sized logistics player Bharat Freight Group, S3 Cabs has already roped in over 700 cabbies from Ola and Uber even before the launch, Sohel Kazani, director, Sahayadri Smart Safe, which owns S3 Cabs brand told PTI. He said, "The main USP for S3 Cabs is that its drivers will not be charged for the first Rs 1,800 collection every day and collections above this will be charged only at 10 per cent, which is just 50 per cent of what Uber and Ola charge to their drivers,"

The cab hailing services will be formally launched by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis any day between May 7 and 14 depending on his availability. Kazani, who has been into logistics and transport business for decades, claimed to have the advantage of full support from as many as 10 transport/cab unions in the megapolis, including those from MNS-affiliated unions.

Kazani told PTI, "In fact, the market opportunity was spotted by these unions themselves and we are only a facilitator," He added saying that the cab service will not have surge pricing and pooling. But of course it's a business and we wonder how Kazani will make money out of it. In fact he has an answer to that too as he states that partly this is a CSR initiative for him or giving back to the community that he belongs to for decades- transporters.

Kazani has invested Rs. 1 crore in developing the app and already 700 drivers are on-board even before launch.