‘Service and attitute matter more than just the look and colour of the cabs’

The idea to change the colour of the taxis is good but I don’t think light shades like beige or peach will work. Pollution will make them dirty easily. I would prefer something like a combo of red and black as they are bright colours and will stand out. It should be easy to spot a taxi in the crowded roads
Atul Sharma, Deonar

Black and yellow has been the identity of taxis in the city. If changed, it will only confuse people. Also, I don’t think people will accept the change easily. The black and yellow taxis are iconic on Mumbai’s roads. If the authorities want to change the colours then they should go for a complete yellow as it will stand out and still retain the old image
Mrinalini Chetty, Chembur

As the traditional Fiat cabs are being phased out and newer models are hitting the road, I feel colour change is not a bad idea. Moreover, we have been seeing the kala-peela taxis on the city roads for a long time now. Brown and beige are too dull colours; I would prefer something which is more bright and appealing. If given a choice I would choose shades of red and green
Neil Mehta, Mulund

It doesn’t matter if one is travelling in a black and yellow cab or a peach coloured taxi. The authorities, government and RTO should focus on improving the service. Most taxi drivers don’t ply short distances and sometimes are rude. The  attitude matters more than the colour
Gaurav Kochhar, Vashi

I don’t think that the authorities should change the colour of taxis from black and yellow. There is a brand association that has been created with these colours which would be difficult to replace. Besides, the yellow on the black is easy to spot among the clutter of vehicles. Also, rebranding would surely create confusion in people’s mind
Anandita Bakshi, Ghatkopar

Expert speak

Change the mechanics rather than the look

There is a lot of talk about not just changing the look of the cab but also replacing the Fiat cabs. Firstly, I don’t think that there we need to replace the existing Fiat cabs. They are an intrinsic part and identity of the city. Even the tourists immediately identify the black and yellow cabs as a public transport. The charm of the city would not be same without these cabs. The state transport authorities have recently recommended changing the colour of the cabs. But according to me, peach colour for the cabs will look very dull. Why should we change the colour and copy or get inspired by cabs from any other country? I don’t think we should opt for total yellow cabs like those in New York or for that matter any other place. The yellow and black colour looks good. Instead, the emission norms are really old and don’t fit the current pollution standards. The cabs are also brittle and a slight accident damages them badly. So, its vital to improve the mechanical part as the look otherwise is fine. However, if we need to replace  the Fiat taxis, then the best alternate option would be the Maruti Esteem.  They seem quite sturdy and spacious as well compared to the other Martui 800 and Indica cabs that we have currently.
Neil Soni, automobile designer, NS studio

New look and colour for city’s cabs is welcome

If we are going to have a new look and a new colour for our cabs then it is highly appreciable as it is a sign of change. We are going the Shanghai way. Taxi owners don’t need to worry about such issue because government is going to pay the expenses. As per my knowledge, the new taxi which is going to come on the road they will be seen in new colour. Apart from the colour there are various other criteria which need to be corrected. The major problem is the refusal of taxi driver to ply to certain locations. Especially in the monsoons, the drivers have given tough time to the daily commuter. In such a scenario, the government initiative to install toll free number for registering complains and taking action against the offenders is also welcome. However it should be implemented well. The decision to give a better look to the cabs and coming up with a toll free number show that government are paying attention to the commuters and the mode of communication.  These few changes that we have been experimenting with the transport system of late are welcome. Public transport system should be in good condition and people should be willing to adapt to the new changes. 
Nitin Dosa, executive chairman, Western India Automobile Association (WIAA)