GozoCabs — odometer tampering

Gozo Cabs & Divya Travels of Bangalore – Biggest Fraudsters.

Booking ID: RT[protected],
Taxi Number: KA 53 A 3166 – Divya Travels Bangalore (Innova),
Name of the Driver: Mr. Hemant,
Mobile Numbers of the Driver: [protected] & [protected],
Travel Period : 29th May 2019 to 13th June 2019

I had booked a cab from Gozo Cabs for a total of 2900 kms with a minimum commitment of 4000 kms i.e. 250 kms per day.

I had been wondering since a couple of days while my trip that the kilometres run by the car as shown by the odometer were much more than what we actually travelled so I started keeping a close watch on the odometer from 8th June 2019 wherein I found that the kilometres were enhanced drastically at times even if the vehicle was not running.

On relieving the driver from duty on 9th June 2019 at 4.30 pm, I clicked a photograph of the odometer in front of the driver and the reading was 170645.

From Kodai we directly went to Madurai at a location with exact distance of 111 Kms. (8.25am - 11.10 am.) There we went to see Meenakshi Temple. (Local travel in Madurai was 25-30 kms max). At 1.40 pm we left for Salem. On the way just 75 kms before reaching salem at around 4.20 pm I saw that the odometer showed approximately 520 kms instead of 290 kms actually travelled. (230 kms extra). From there only I complained to Gozo customer care but they asked me to give a mail.

We reached Salem covering a total distance of 372 kms but the odometer was showing total kms for the day was 590 kms (in a travel time of 7 hours). I wrote a complaint to Gozo with snaps of the odometer starting & end reading and details of the fraud.

I was unable to understand that when the driver has not driven the car beyond 80 - 100 kms per hour at any point of time how can he cover 590 kms in 7 including ghats driving.

The car provided to us was very old (12 years old) and was in pathetic condition and seats were torn with cushion coming out of the seat. The car was extremely dirty and was continuously making noise. The driver on the other hand stopped the car on every signal stopping the AC in scorching heat. Also he stops in between to have his tea or food and switched off the ignition in extreme heat leaving us in full sweat. When asked, he said it’s the company policy.

The Driver kept on talking on his mobile almost 90% of the times during driving. He used to see videos while driving. This was very risky and dangerous.

I must have called Gozo today at least 10-12 times but could not get any satisfying response.

Thereafter I could see the driver manipulating the kms everyday to the tune of 50-100 kms and I kept on writing mails to Gozo but of no use. I always got a reply that the complaint is under investigation and will be solved before end of trip. They assured me to go with the driver and there will be no problem to us.

We kept on calling & writing mails to GOZO customer care since that morning. Gozo kept on lingering the matter till the end.

Last day we reached near airport 4 hours before the flight. Before dropping us to the airport (Me, My wife & 2 daughters), the driver took us to some place near airport with more than 100 taxis standing there and demanded money (15000 extra than what was decided at the time of booking)
When there was just one hour left for the flight, the Gozo Customer care executive told us to go to the Police Station. We were like Stunned and could not do anything but had to give money to the driver as I did not want to take any chances with my family along with me.

We were humiliated and were feeling as if we were hostages. I also clicked a photograph o[censored]nwanted wires which were under cover which i felt have been used for tampering the odometer.

Following is the final mail I wrote to gozo for your reference to which I did not receive any reply.

“This is really very sad that yesterday after keeping us waiting and stranded for 2.5 hours, your customer care officer asked us to go to police station just 1 hour before our flight. Finally he asked me that he will call in 5 mins and never called. I tried calling the customer care after that but it kept me waiting and finally I had to disconnect.

Finally I had to pay all the unjustified amount the driver asked. He took approx 15000 extra from me. He did not even give me the receipts for the permits.

Other than the above, we we're harassed a lot for full 2.5 hours. We we're kept away from airport and we're not allowed to leave. Our luggage was also kept in the Innova and we could not remove it.

My daughter wanted to go to the toilet urgently but there was none nearby and she had to urinate in the open in front of 100s of males. She cried a lot due to her such disrespect and she told me that she will never forgive me for this.

This is not at all acceptable and I require full compensation against it including and not only limited to mental harassment, extra payment, emotional and psychological torture, etc.

You guys did not even bother to track us and know if we were alive or dead.

This has been my worst experience with any taxi services.

The last few hours were the worst hours of my life full of torture, harassment, agony. I was feeling as if we are prisoners. It was due to my wife and my daughter's safety, I had to pay the excess amount. Gozo was not at all concerned about our safety.

The driver kept on threatening your customer care executive that he will not leave us and he knows how to get the things done and your executive asked me to pay money otherwise the driver won't leave us.
I had informed gozo about the problem and updated almost every day for the last 4-5 days, but you guys didn't have time to listen and sort out the matter. You kept on lingering the matter because you knew at the end of the day when you and your driver will hold us as prisoners, we will have to shed money.

I am highly disgusted, disturbed and offended due to all this. My vacations have spoiled. We spent so much to refresh our mood but we came back much more depressed.”

Dear Friends, I don’t want such things to repeat with any other family.

Please be aware of Divya Travels of Bangalore and Gozo Cabs.

I still have all the proofs along with me to support the above narration and I am planning to lodge a case in consumer court and cyber crime cell against it.