When ‘pink autos’ and ‘she taxis’, which are based on the concept of women drivers ferrying women passengers, hit Mumbai and Kerala, they were received well. Now, a similar concept is being launched in Chennai — it is Magalir Auto (also known as MAuto), an app developed by Mansoor Ali Khan, the man behind Makkal Auto.
Like cab aggregator services Ola and Uber, MAuto is an online aggregator platform to which auto drivers or “pilots” (as Mansoor likes to call them) can link their profiles and undertake trips around the city.
While Makkal Auto has both male and female drivers, MAuto is meant exclusively for women. MAutos don’t sport the pink colour — which is the case with pink autos — but have the regular black and yellow. These autorickshaws are operated by women “pilots”, who are in khaki uniforms.
A resident and entrepreneur from West Mambalam, Mansoor says this platform will give underprivileged women — single mothers, widows and financially insecure women — an opportunity to be self-sufficient.
“There are 75,000 autos in Chennai; 2,00,000 autos in Tamil Nadu; and 50,00,000 autos in India. I want to introduce the autorickshaw industry to the online platform and make it safe for women,” explains the 28-year-old entrepreneur.
MAuto allows drivers to rent autos. When women sign up as drivers on the app, they are entitled to many benefits, which include health insurance and financial aid.
The app is yet to be officially launched, and is in the trial phase.
Anitha B. Jayadeepak, Chief Operating Officer of MAuto, says the app shares certain technological features with Makkal Auto. For instance, the Panic Button on the app can be used by both the driver and the passenger. When this button is pressed, two contacts on their contact list and the police will be notified.
“In Makkal Auto, the option was not linked to phone contacts. In MAuto, when a customer or driver installs the app, they are asked to provide details of two contacts who will be alerted in case of an emergency. And a call will go to the police automatically,” she explains.
For those with no access to the Internet, a call centre will book rides for customers.
Additionally, it offers two unique features: My Ride and My Pride. My Ride is for a regular woman passenger. My Pride, on the other hand, is a service designed for school and college girls, teachers and police women who need want to go on a ride to a place and back.
“Rides availed through My Pride are free; of course, we will verify the background of the passenger based on a few criteria,” adds Anitha.
Selection process
Gomathi K., deputy general manager of MAuto, oversees the training and filtering process of the women auto drivers, who live in and around the city — Chennai Central, Koyembedu, Kodambakkam, Marina Beach.
“Some are trained and have been driving autorickshaws for years, while others are undergoing training. These women are first given lessons in skill development, and based on their learning capacity, are filtered out. We teach them basic driving skills and ask them about their aspirations,” says Gomathi.
Gomathi and her team have assigned around 100 women auto ‘pilots’ locations in Chennai.
Their target is to have 1,000 women drivers register with them in the coming months.
“We have a team that assigns locations to the women drivers. Many of these women were working with Makkal Auto.
So, they are already auto drivers and to avail more benefits, they have registered themselves with MAuto,” she explains.
Increasing fleet
On their future plans for MAuto, Anitha says they plan to extend the services to other parts of India.
“We are already in talks with ministers of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for spreading social awareness and bringing in such opportunities for women. We are also exploring the possibility of taking the app to Australia,” she says.
MAuto plans to integrate their services with hospitals, offer free rides for patients to nearby places.
“We have already begun to do our ground work,” says Mansoor.
“For example, the women drivers of MAuto recently ferried farmers attending the Farmers Meet at IIT Madras, between Koyambedu and Guindy. The farmers were not charged.”
