From shared autos to QR code booking, Bengaluru auto-rickshaw aggregators accelerate expansion

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Bengaluru is witnessing a surge in the expansion drive of auto-rickshaw aggregators.

Rapido is introducing Auto Share, which like its name suggests offers something akin to carpooling with two customers splitting the use and cost of an auto ride, while Namma Yatri plans to venture into tier-2 cities like Tumakuru. Simultaneously, MetroMitra, another aggregator, is broadening its reach across the city.

For years, India’s Silicon Valley has been infamous for its auto drivers, who often refuse passengers or demand excess fares. This left the market wide open to app-based auto rickshaw services.

Bengaluru City Traffic Police records show that the number of cases of drivers refusing to go to destinations that passengers wanted to go to rose from 363 in 2021 to 2,183 in 2022. Till October this year, 1,381 cases had been booked. Similarly, the number of cases relating to demanding excess fare increased from 644 in 2021 to 2,179 in 2022 and 1,469 (till October 2023).

After the recent launch of Auto Plus, a premium autorickshaw service that guarantees rides without the threat of cancellations, the company that started as a bike taxi service provider is now piloting Auto Share in Bengaluru

Rapido's app notification stated that the new service is “currently available in beta and selected areas”. It also promises to “share your ride & save up to 30 percent”. The notification further said that only one passenger is allowed per request and a maximum of two passengers can travel in the auto.

Rapido was unavailable for comment.

Rapido has also introduced the Rapido Auto Guarantee, which states: "We guarantee to assign you a Rapido auto captain within five minutes of the booking time. Otherwise, we will provide you with Rapido coins worth up to Rs 50.....This offer does not apply if the booking is canceled by the commuter before five minutes from booking the ride.....The coin (offer) is valid for one-time use per user per day.....The offer is valid only in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Chennai for the standard Auto service and is not applicable for Auto Plus and Auto Share."

Similarly, the Namma Yatri app, backed by Bengaluru’s auto rickshaw drivers and built by Juspay Technologies using Beckn's open mobility protocol, is expanding to Karnataka’s smaller cities and even other states.

"Namma Yatri is currently operational in Bengaluru and Mysuru. In Kochi and Kolkata, we operate as Yatri and Yatri Sathi, respectively. We plan to launch in a few more cities," said a Namma Yatri spokesperson.

According to records, 1.08 lakh auto drivers in Bengaluru have enrolled with the Namma Yatri app so far, catering to 24.6 lakh users. Since its inception on November 1, 2022, the drivers have collectively earned a total of Rs 249.7 crore, completing over 1.73 crore trips.

Riding on the success of the Namma Yatri app, Autorickshaw Drivers Union (ARDU) launched the more niche MetroMitra, primarily to provide last-mile connectivity from Namma Metro stations in Bengaluru.

"There are four stations — Jayanagar, RV Road, Vijaynagar and Hosahalli — where MetroMitra drivers currently operate. But driver supply is still low and is expected to grow in the coming weeks," said Sathya Arikutharam, a mobility expert working with the auto driver community.

"But the plan is to make MetroMitra available across the city and not just limited to metro stations alone. During the pilot phase, it was found that the lack of designated autorickshaw parking facilities at most metro stations, along with the lack of protection from unruly drivers (typically, those not on any app-based service and opposed to those who are), is a big challenge to providing quick and reliable last-mile connectivity," Arikutharam said.

He said there are 180 drivers on board and growing every day. "The response from passengers has been very positive, and they want MetroMitra to expand very quickly. MetroMitra will soon be sharing ridership data through a dashboard," said Arikutharam.

Asked how to book a MetroMitra, he said, "Passengers can street-hail MetroMitra. It is a simple process that can be summed up as: Hail it, Scan it, and Ride it. Passengers can also request autos from their preferred pickup locations through the website (metromitra.co.in). The website URL can be set up as a home screen shortcut or by scanning a QR code for easy access from their phones."

ARDU has already held a discussion with the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to enable customers to discover MetroMitra autorickshaws through BMRCL's WhatsApp chatbot (8105556677).