A couple of years ago an early morning commute to the airport for Bhamini Puri meant paying exorbitant rates to cab drivers or staying up all night to ensure that the booking is not cancelled by a sleepy driver. Now, she books a ride on Slimride, one of the numerous ride sharing apps that have come up in the city recently. She says, “Such apps and online services are helpful. It is fairly secure. Like regular services, they also offer discounts for referrals. I like using this service.”
Bhamini is one among many in the city who are increasingly turning to ride sharing apps and online platforms in a bid to make their daily commute a less stressful routine. Cars, bike rentals and ride sharing is becoming popular in Bengaluru, with even established aggregator apps such as Uber and Ola joining the ridesharing bandwagon.
Software engineer, Praveen Singh, says, “I used to be worried about driving alone to work in terrible traffic. I now use ridesharing apps like Lyft and Ridingo that ensures that I do not have to worry about facing traffic on a daily basis and it is also lighter on the wallet. I feel that in a city like Bengaluru, where public transport does not provide last-mile connectivity and sharing rides is a new concept, such initiatives will become more popular.”
Commute made easy: Thanks to the apps. Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.
Abhishek Kumar, co-founder of Royalbrothers, a bike rental firm says, “We were Enfield fans and wanted to make it affordable for regular commuters. We convinced the traffic authorities and got the necessary permits. You can pick up a package based on the usage patterns. The rental rates are very low. We plan to launch an app soon.”
He adds, “In a city like Bengaluru that faces constant traffic snarls and is full of single car drivers, we feel that making bikes a regular form of commute would change the situation considerably.”
Srinath S., who manages Lets Drive Along, an online ridesharing platform for car owners says, “I think more and more players in the field is a positive development. It will improve services and build a system of shared commutes in a city where such a culture did not exist.”
Rains not only throw the traffic out of gear but also apps and online ride sharing platforms go into chaos and confusion. Sudesh Bhatia, work from home professional, says, “ This city has transformed so much over the years. As I work from home, I do not need to travel everyday. But when I have to step out to meet my clients, then travel is a herculean task.
Carpooling, has not worked for me during peek hours. Its get complicated as you are dependent on apps and technology again. I prefer to take my own car and drive even though its frustrating when you are heading to your destination in bumper to bumper traffic.” Srinath S. contends, “We work on a subscription model where only car owners are allowed to join. This ensures that we do not face major issues like many other apps during the rains.
