Karnataka transport department announces fare structure for Quadricycles in Bengaluru

Quadricycle

The Karnataka transport department has announced the fare structure for quadricycles operating in Bengaluru, nearly four years after they were first introduced in the city.

The minimum fare for quadricycles, such as the Bajaj Qute, will be INR 60 for the first 4 km, with an additional charge of INR 16 for every extra km. Drivers of these vehicles had been requesting a separate fare structure since the costs of operating quadricycles are higher than those of auto-rickshaws.

In 2019, Uber, in collaboration with Bajaj Auto, launched quadricycles on its UberXS platform, pricing them between auto-rickshaws and the base category of cabs.

However, drivers outside of the Uber platform had to operate at auto-rickshaw fares of INR 30 for the first 2 km and INR 15 per additional km, which made it challenging for them to operate profitably.

With the announcement of a separate fare structure by the transport department, these drivers can install digital fare meters and operate outside of the Uber platform, similar to metered taxis.

Driver unions have welcomed the move, with Tanveer Pasha, president of the Karnataka State Auto & Taxi Federation, stating that there are more than 1,000 quadricycles in Bengaluru and that drivers have been struggling to run them at regular auto fares.

From April 24, quadricycles with digital meters that adhere to the government's fixed fare structure will be rolled out in the city, which will be beneficial for both drivers and last-mile connectivity.

Bengaluru does not have street-hailing meter taxis, unlike Mumbai and Kolkata, but there are traditional taxis/pre-paid taxis at railway stations and airports. For non-app-based city taxis in Bengaluru, the minimum fare for non-AC taxis is INR 75 for the first 4 km and INR 18 for every subsequent km, while the minimum fare for AC taxis is INR 100 for the first 4 km and INR 24 for every additional km.

The transport department has fixed fares for cab aggregators based on the price of vehicles categorised into four classes, with small cabs (vehicles costing up to INR 5 lakh) charged INR 75 for the first 4 km and luxury cabs (vehicles costing more than INR 16 lakh) charged INR 150 for the first 4 km.

In June 2018, the Union government approved the commercial sale of quadricycles, including them as a separate category in the three-wheeler category(L5) in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules.

The vehicles are expected to be safer than three-wheelers, as they will have a fully enclosed body structure with a hard top and doors. They have also been recommended for registration under the commercial transport category for intra-city movement within municipal limits.

The symbol "Q" will be prominently displayed on the body of these quadricycles, and they will be permitted to be driven only by licensed drivers after proper registration.

Quadricycles are expected to provide an upgrade over the current three-wheeler autos, which provide last-mile connectivity in most urban areas of the country.