Tootle Taxi › About
About Tootle Taxi
A local travel company, not an app.
Our mark is a hill road: straight, a left turn, a hairpin bend, a right turn, and the climb to the peak. Every trip we plan follows it.
Our story
Two days in Ooty
It started with one guest at our bed and breakfast. Her room was comfortable, but every evening she came back a little more tired and a little quieter.
Over a bonfire one night, she told us about her days. It wasn't the room. It was everything around it.
The pickup
ThenA horn at the gate, earlier than agreed, and a driver already in a hurry.
NowA plan agreed the evening before, and a driver who arrives on time and waits without fuss.
The plan
ThenAll she knew was “Ooty sightseeing”. Where to go, in what order and for how long was left to the driver’s mood on the day.
NowA clear itinerary before you set off: the places, the order, and roughly how long the day takes.
The view
ThenDoddabetta whenever the car happened to get there. That day, it was lost in cloud.
NowThe peak planned for the clearer part of the day where we can, adjusted for your start time and the traffic.
Lunch
ThenWherever the driver chose to stop.
NowWe ask what you’d like to eat. If you’re not sure, we take you somewhere good.
The pace
ThenRushed from place to place, and some days wrapped up by 4, whether she was ready or not.
NowWe ask how you like to travel: two places or five, fast, slow or in between. Fast means fast. Slow means slow.
Coming home
ThenBack at the stay tired, after a day that never quite felt like hers.
NowBack at the stay with a day worth talking about over the bonfire.
That night we realised a good stay is only half the trip. So we partnered with local veterans and trained them not just to drive, but to host.
What began for our own guests is now open to every traveller who visits the Nilgiris.
A good stay is only half the trip.
We take care of the other half.
Why Tootle exists
The Nilgiris has many good local drivers with no easy way to reach travellers, and many travellers with no way to know which driver to trust. Tootle connects the two. We choose and train our driver-partners to host, not just drive, and we match each trip to the right driver ourselves.
Where your money goes
Most of the fare goes to your driver. A small share covers our technology and a small front-office team that plans your trip with you, and not glossy productions. It's already inside the price you see. Nothing is added later, apart from a distance charge for stays beyond 5 km, which we tell you before you confirm.
What stays the same on every trip
Honest pricing
One standard price for every guest, with no hidden charges.
Clear plans
Your itinerary agreed upfront, with no mid-trip surprises.
Hosts, not just drivers
Respectful, multilingual, and genuinely glad to have you along.
Cared-for cars
Clean and well maintained, every trip.
Real people
When you message us, a person from our team answers.
The people behind the wheel
Local drivers who know these hills by heart
“Even our pilot Murugesh ji, he was fabulous.”
“Driver Arun was very punctual and safely took us to all places.”