Patna, Oct. 16: Residents of the state capital might soon have the option to speed down the thoroughfares in Mercedes-Benz taxis. But such a dream ride will depend on the success of the radio cabs that were launched recently.

Sources said Patna residents had not displayed much eagerness about the radio taxi service. Navneet Kumar, the supervisor of Leeway Logistics — one of the taxi service providers, said: “At present, we have 20 cabs as part of the radio service. However, we don’t even get 10 bookings a day. As a result, most of our cars remain unutilised. Moreover, most of the cabs are booked for local transport. That’s not profitable enough.”

Lack of popularity, however, is not a deterrent for FleetX, the other service provider. They are planning on an expansion that could bring Mercedes cabs to the capital.

Sarika Chaurasiya, the executive director of Pune-based Saibia Management Consultancy Pvt. Ltd that operates the FleetX cabs, said: “Depending upon the response to our services, the company is likely to introduce 21 more cars by the end of November or early December. Among other vehicles, we will also include Mercedes C-Class cars in the proposed expansion to our fleet. This would probably be the first time that the residents of Patna would be able to hire a Mercedes.”

The executive also said though the facility would be open to everyone, it was expected that business- men would be their main customers.

Residents, on their part, claim that though the taxi service is comfortable it is also a tad bit taxing on the pocket.

“The radio taxis are a comfortable, safe and stylish mode of transport. The service is also prompt. However, the fares are a little taxing on our pockets. We have to pay a few hundreds for distances that we can cover in an autorickshaw or bus by paying only Rs 10 or Rs 20,” said Sumit Prakash, a resident of Kankerbagh.

Others claim the radio taxis were rare on the roads. So, if they are not in one’s sight, they are also not in one’s mind.

“There was so much talk before the launch of the radio taxis in Patna. But where are these taxis now? There is hardly any taxi to be seen on the roads. One cannot give a phone number and expect people to memorise it. The popularity of such a mode of transport is augmented only when people see them on the roads. Unfortunately, that is not happening here,” said Jagdeo Path resident Arvind Kumar.

Chaurasiya, however said she was satisfied with the business their vehicles received in the first 10 days.“The overall response to the radio taxis seems good to me,” she said.

She added that FleetX, too, has experienced a fall in bookings. “There was a heavy rush of bookings during Durga Puja. It has now gone down to five or six bookings a day now. There are only two outstation bookings everyday at present.”