Ridlr, a mobile platform that offers real-time traffic and public transport information, and lets customers purchase tickets for the local commute on buses and the metros (currently in Mumbai), began as the result of a personal pain point of co-founder and CEO Brijraj Vaghani.
He explains, “A few years ago, when I shifted back to India from the US, I found it difficult to commute without information on the status of traffic in real time. This was before Google Maps had made a mark in this space in India. We started working on an app that would offer real-time traffic assistance and offer alternative routes to users.”
Soon, they realised that in India, public transport played a virtual role in everyday commute, and this sector needed a technical solution. “We began working with individual bus operators and agencies to offer real-time updates on buses and trains used in local commute in Mumbai. We also offer the facility for customers to buy the tickets online for their regular commute. This is currently available in Mumbai only, though we plan to expand to other cities too. The real-time traffic and public transport information is available in 22 cities across the country.”
Vaghani says that the app offers more information than the Google app. “We used a lot of crowdsourced data and get constant information from Regional traffic offices. We have an active community on social media that provides instant information about traffic disruptions, road closings and so on. Having people on the ground ensures that we are able to be more accurate.”
Getting all the data and creating the infrastructure for such an app was a tough ask. “These platforms require a robust digital infrastructure. In India there are no sensors, public camera feeds which one can use to measure traffic on roads. No standard APIs and protocols exist to enable transit agencies to share data with users in digital form. Many of the agencies used physical forms and did not have anything online. We had to use crowdsourcing effectively to provide accurate traffic information, as we don’t have access to information from the government. Similarly, for public transport, most developed countries have standard processes and protocols. Those pipes did not exist in India. We had to build it from scratch.”
Vaghani is pleased with the response. “We are adding a lot of students and professionals, who use the platform for getting access to make the commute easier. We plan to get our ticketing and other facilities in other cities also.”
