World Class Taxi Cab Service In Sl

[ash]

The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka launched the Initiative to Operate a World Class Taxi Cab yesterday at the Crystal Ballroom, Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo.

The BOI will be co-ordinating the sale of the Government of nine Licenses to operate a world class Taxi Cab Service with the objective of establishing a quality, reliable and standardised taxi service in the country. The selling of the Licenses will be through a bidding process via the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) to potential bidders/investors to enter into a BOI agreement.

Each License will entitle the Transferee Company to import 100 motor cars on certain concessions. Under this project, each Transferee Company will be allowed to obtain up to 3 licenses. The concessions will include exemptions from Customs Duty and Excise Duty applicable at the time of importation. However, the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Airport Development Levy (PAL) will not be waived.

The minimum requirement investment required to set up a Taxi Cab Service and be entitled to the tax holiday under the BOI agreement would be US$ 500,000 inclusive of purchase consideration of the License and importation cost of the vehicles, and the entire fleet of vehicles should be exclusively used for the purpose of operating the Taxi Cab Service. Both local and foreign persons/entities will be allowed to bid for the license and under each license, the license holder is entitled to import Sedan and or/Station Wagon type brand new motor cars.

At the aforesaid event, Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala, Director General/Chairman of the BOI made a speech on the ‘Overview on the Issue of Licenses’. Furthermore the Director/CEO of NDB Investment Bank, Vajira Kulatilake briefed the gathering on how to bid for the licenses on the Colombo Stock Exchange. Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Secretary to the Ministry of Plan Implementation spoke on the ‘Economic Benefits Arising from the Project’. Hon. Rohitha Bogollagama – Minister of Enterprise Development & Investment Promotion made the final address.

Potential investors are advised to refer the Information Memorandum (IM) dated 14th June, 2006 issued in this regard and consult officials of the BOI, NDB Investment Bank Limited and/or the stockbroker for further clarifications prior to investing. The IM is also available on www.boi.lk

What do you guys think!!!

[dragster]

if you been to Rohan's recently... you would see they got a fleet of yellow and black brand new cars parked behind with numbers on them... so I guess very soon we'll see them on the roads...

[xXx]

if you been to Rohan's recently... you would see they got a fleet of yellow and black brand new cars parked behind with numbers on them... so I guess very soon we'll see them on the roads...

rohans is that the restaurant in union place near jaic????

i dont think this is gona be much of a success. it'll be hard for these taxies to compete with tuk tuks and all those private vehicle hiring places in wellawatte. but on the other hand we'll be able to get our hands on some brand new vehicles for cheap. im sure the people who buy these licence will end up selling at least 50% of the vehicles.

[ashan]

Yo Guys,

This is a BOI based project....should be initiated soon....there was a gathering on the 15th of June to sort this out and NDB is playing a major stake....

[Hola]

with the preveling situation in the country i doubt whther this will be populer

[fuzzo]

personally i think it will be a hit because at any given time, getting a cab is hard. you have ot wait atleast 30 mins to get one. funny thing is that i live in wella and i have never got a cab sooner than 30 mins...

[noaim]

Honestly i havnt read the entire article. Would the taxis roam the city, be placed in taxi stands (like the trishaws) or like the existing call, wait 30+mts, come basis?

[ash]

Honestly i havnt read the entire article. Would the taxis roam the city, be placed in taxi stands (like the trishaws) or like the existing call, wait 30+mts, come basis?

I think it's gonna be no.1&2, but not mentioned anywhere in the article or in any news papers. BOI will set the guide lines how it should run. But my strong feeling is that it'll be 3 wheeler operation.

[xXx]

personally i think it will be a hit because at any given time, getting a cab is hard. you have ot wait atleast 30 mins to get one. funny thing is that i live in wella and i have never got a cab sooner than 30 mins...

ok lets say this thing wont take more than 30 mins still it wont be able to match the price of a tuk tuk or a 'budget taxt'. in the end of the day majority of the sri lankans are on the hunt for a bargain n all the rich people have several chafer driven cars so they wont be catching taxis at regular basis. not to forget all the 5 star hotel have their own taxis n rent a car services. guess we just have to wait n see.

[ash]

ok lets say this thing wont take more than 30 mins still it wont be able to match the price of a tuk tuk or a 'budget taxt'. in the end of the day majority of the sri lankans are on the hunt for a bargain n all the rich people have several chafer driven cars so they wont be catching taxis at regular basis. not to forget all the 5 star hotel have their own taxis n rent a car services. guess we just have to wait n see.

Might not totally wipe out the competition. But I think ladies would prefer taking a cab like this since they feel more secure travelling in a car like that. Heard so many stories what has happened to ladies travelled in those privately owned taxi services. Since there are so many of those operating at the moment there’s no control. You just dial a similar set of numbers.... you are through to a cab service... Except Pizza Hut.

[Hola]

Who wants to use a expensive ride in Sri Lanka? The cab serivces we have is rarley used even now

[Pericles]

Who wants to use a expensive ride in Sri Lanka? The cab serivces we have is rarley used even now

That's by you. plenty of ppl use cabs. Specially females. Consider....

Long distance journeys. When office transport is not available, we use cabs to get to office.

All dressed up. Got dressed up for a wedding? Can't really putter around in the 3-wheeler can you?

Just a couple of scenarios...

[Mean Green z28]

If it works as good as it sounds, all power to them!

I swear I spent half my vacation in SL last year waiting on Taxis. That's until one of my friends hooked me up with a car

[WackoBandit]

if you been to Rohan's recently... you would see they got a fleet of yellow and black brand new cars parked behind with numbers on them... so I guess very soon we'll see them on the roads...

the taxi cars parked at Rohans has nothing to do with the BOI project.The cars were bought by the Company itself and it was launched last saturday.I got to say those cars are very comfortable compared to some of the taxi cars we see on the road.The BOI project bidding is suppose to be held in August and we will see those cars on the road in 6 months time.The taxi service started by rohans can be hit i think,,well anyway hats off to a company thats doing its own taxi service with out the involvement of the government..i think they have around 30 cars ready to roll..

[noaim]

the taxi cars parked at Rohans has nothing to do with the BOI project.The cars were bought by the Company itself and it was launched last saturday.I got to say those cars are very comfortable compared to some of the taxi cars we see on the road.The BOI project bidding is suppose to be held in August and we will see those cars on the road in 6 months time.The taxi service started by rohans can be hit i think,,well anyway hats off to a company thats doing its own taxi service with out the involvement of the government..i think they have around 30 cars ready to roll..

Tata's right... They r rolling already, seen em on the street..