Haven’t booked a driver for New Years eve yet? Now, pay more

If you haven’t yet booked a chauffeur to drive you home from your New Year’s Eve party, last-minute booking will pinch your pocket with most drivers already booked for the day.

Firms that provide post-party chauffeur services charge around Rs450 for six hours during the day. Beyond six hours, the client is charged Rs50 extra per hour. The night charges are around Rs650 for eight hours, and beyond that Rs100 extra per hour.

“More than 60% of our chauffeurs have already been booked. Perhaps due to the strict campaigns against drunken driving by the traffic police, we have got many bookings this New Year’s Eve.

We have 200 chauffeurs and yet we cannot meet the demand. We expect to be fully booked by tomorrow afternoon,” said Ankur Vaid, proprietor of Party Hard Drivers.

Amit Wankhede of the Malad-based Drivers’ Service Provider said they got bookings as early as December 26 for December 31 night.

“Around 85% bookings have been done. The early birds were lucky to pay less for the services. Now, the rates will head north as availability of drivers may be an issue.’’