You’ll probably only understand the importance of this app if you have either lived in any of the metros in India, or tried to hire a rickshaw or taxi in one. The rickshaw and taxi wallahs in almost every metro (May be not Mumbai) are on the tip of their toes, ready to jump on and con every outsider looking to travel around in the city. It’s the sad reality of the public transport here — tampered meters and overcharging drivers are a common sight.
A-Rix Meter is an app that’ll help you if you find yourself caught in such a scenario. Designed and developed by Siddharth Vanchinathan, the app is a simple fare calculator app for iPhone. It uses the iPhone’s GPS to measure the distance traveled and tells you exactly how much the fare is. The information is updated live on the screen so you know exactly how much you’ll have to pay and also includes an integrated map view so you know what route you’re on. The app supports autos and taxi fares from a big list of cities and also works for Meru cabs in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi & Hyderabad. Don’t worry, it even allows you to set a custom fare setting for your journey if your city is not listed.
The design is very digital-esque and looks great on the Retina Display. The elements are neatly laid out on the screen, so it’s very easy to quickly read the meter reading and the distance travelled. In my testing, the app performed quite well around Mumbai, meters being off by .50 in most cases.
The app is currently only available on the Indian App Store and sells for just 99 cents. Another great app that makes a good companion to A-Rix Meter is Mumbai on the Go — an app that features extensive information, time-tables and fare list for all four kinds of public transportation in the city.