Traffic can be a pain for just about anybody in the city but commuting can be a problem for wheelchair users. To tackle this issue, Mobicab stepped up and designed custom-made vehicles that cater specifically to persons with disabilities.
We got a chance to speak to Sanjana Aswani, Founder of Mobicab, to know more about this unique brand and how it is making strides in changing the way cabs function to a niche audience in the country.
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Mobicab: Changing the way cabs roll
Founded by a powerhouse sibling duo, Sanjana and Gautam Aswani started Mobicab as a wheelchair accessible transportation solutions provider.
“We offer wheelchair accessible vehicles for our clients. We’re a Mumbai based service and provide transportation within the city as well as for outstation travel.” – Sanjana
The inspiration behind the brand:
Frustration!
Like many entrepreneurs, Sanjana and Gautam identified the need for accessible transportation when they became the user.
How? Every time the siblings had to travel with their mother, a wheelchair user, they had to call an ambulance. This gave them a deep insight into the lack of accessible transportation solutions in India.
Sanjana and Gautam soon realised that an ambulance is not an ideal vehicle of choice for wheelchair users, owing to the number of transfers to be made from wheelchair to stretcher and vice-versa in order to be able to travel. To cap it all, the passenger has to lie down during the entire commute.
It was this frustration that led them to modify their own personal vehicle to make it wheelchair accessible. However, owning and modifying a vehicle is too cost-prohibitive. So, Mobicab was born.
Inaccessibility only serves to further invisibilize a community.- Sanjana
Mobicab’s purpose:
To provide quality accessible transportation that is safe, efficient and within a budget to the wheelchair users of India i.e. people with locomotor disability and the ageing population.
“The first step towards that has been to launch a wheelchair accessible taxi service based in Mumbai. By providing accessible transport, we want to enable our users to reclaim their right to public spaces.” – Gautam
Accepting change: Society’s reaction to the brand
Was the conservative Indian community receptive of this unique brand idea? Sanjana agrees it took a while. India’s disabled population (as per the 2011 Census) is estimated to be 2.68 crores and WHO claims it is as high as 18 crores. So, this was a call to necessity, more than an experiment.
With improvements in the quality of healthcare and life expectancy, India has a steadily increasing ageing population.
People with locomotor disabilities that use a wheelchair for mobility and the ageing population are our primary users. Therefore, wheelchair accessible transportation is the need of the hour.
Since our initial pilot and subsequent expansion, we have till date completed 5000 wheelchair accessible rides for our users – Sanjana
Mobicab: Unique Design for a Better Commuting Experience
All Mobicab vehicles are modified to be wheelchair accessible. The vehicles either have a ramp or a hydraulic lift attached at the back that enables a wheelchair to directly enter the vehicle. This ensures that passengers can travel while sitting in their wheelchair and also eliminates the issue of having to shift from wheelchair to car seat and vice-versa.
Mobicab also uses sedans in which the entire front seat of the car is detachable and converts into a wheelchair.
At Mobicab, we strongly believe that disability rights are human rights.
Taking it a step ahead: Not only do Mobicab supply wheelchair accessible vehicles, but they are also committed to providing end-to-end accessibility. How? By plugging in the gaps in the existing infrastructure. For example, all mobicab vehicles are equipped with portable ramps that allow clients to navigate any structures that may have 3-4 steps. This ensures hassle-free travel for the clients.
How Mobicab uses Instamojo:
We had to come in some time! Mobicab was looking for an easy way to collect payments from their passengers, without having to carry a POS machine in their cars. A good way to do this was to enable card payments online.
So, they discovered Instamojo for all their card payments. It simplifies the operational process for the brand. and their drivers did not have to carry POS machines in their vehicles.
Convenience for Conveyance: Instamojo furthermore allows Mobicab clients to clear payments at their own convenience. This was much more preferred to their earlier system of collecting payments using a POS machine where the customer had to make a card payment before exiting the vehicle
Customer Testimonials: How Mobicab changed commuting for India
Jignesh Chedda: “Very pleasant experience with Mobicab. Thoroughly professional. Sent cab on promised time, with timely updates and very professional driver. More importantly, they know and understand the clients’ requirements and over-deliver if need be. Would recommend this to anyone who needs such a service.”
Oreen Mendez: “Excellent service! The booking was very easy. The driver was polite, on time and very helpful. He even helped me fix my wheelchair. I recommended Mobicab highly.”
Innovative businesses can change the way India does business! Brands like Mobicab inspire our communities to not only get bigger but to make a difference to the society, to find a solution for a problem that can be fixed with a little help. That’s where we come in.
Do you want to be a part of change? Join the Instamojo community today!
