WE are living in a world dominated by technology. Technology made its way through to almost every aspect of our life over the past few years. It has also changed our mode of transportation. We no longer have to look for a CNG-driven auto-rickshaw on a busy street in Dhaka and instead we can hire a car while sitting at home through our smartphones. The mobile apps Uber and Pathao allow it to happen in a way that is easier and at the same time cheaper. Uber provides car services and Pathao provides bike services. Uber had already been well established in the developed world before it was launched in Bangladesh in late 2016.
Initially there were doubts if it could work properly in a traffic-heavy place like Dhaka, but cheaper fare and ride- friendly service was found readily acceptable. Pathao on the other hand, succeeded even faster since it was saving both time and money. We can easily hire these vehicles to get a ride to literally anywhere in the city. We shall be aware of the approximate fare if not the exact one well before the service is availed which is regulated by the service provider. So, no bargaining would be necessary.
Having been a regular user of Uber service I believe there are still some areas that need to be taken care of. Drivers of these vehicles need to be more skilled. I am told by friends who use Pathao frequently that the bikers are new comers in the field of driving as a result of which bike accidents increased alarmingly ever since Pathao was launched. Another important issue is that fares are not equal in all areas because biasness in areas where demand is high plays a role here. Safety for women is a major concern for these services around the world and as such the service operators must pay attention to this aspect.
In the near future, whether we like it or not we are going to be increasingly dependent on technology-based services. So, we must ensure that the services are operated efficiently.
Fahima Jahan
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