Sreekala S is in a rush. A finance manager at a company in Technopark, she knows she will be late to work if she travels by bus, her usual mode of transport. While earlier she would walk to the nearest auto stand or would wave at a passing auto to stop, she now pulls out her Smartphone and taps on an auto-hailing mobile app.
Jugnoo, a Chandigarh-based technology company has launched Jugnoo, its auto-hailing mobile app in the city. The app has 150 autorickshaw drivers on its rolls.
Entrepreneur Magi GR says she prefers using the app as she does not have to spend time haggling with the autorickshaw driver. And in case she is short of cash, she can opt to pay through Paytm, FreeCharge or MobiKwik.
According to Sujith Kumar, branch manager of Jugnoo, hailing an auto has never been easier. “For customers, it is the hassle-free ride that clicks. Also you don’t need to deal with the traffic or hunt for a parking spot when travelling by auto,” he says.
The app is helpful to drivers too. “According to surveys by Jugnoo, although the auto drivers are on the road for 10 hours, at times they are driving around sans passengers for four to five hours. Based on our research, the drivers tend to earn more when they use the app. This is because after a ride, the auto shows up as available on the app, which makes it easy for Jugnoo to arrange the next ride for the driver. It was challenging initially to convince the auto drivers to sign up as they will not be paid a monthly salary. We recently introduced our driver interface in multiple languages.”
- When customers book an auto-rickshaw through Jugnoo, they get all the details of the driver and vehicle on their phone.
- Jugnoo Auto app is available on Android, iOS and Windows. Base fare (₹25), fare per km (₹12)
- Uber now allows customers to book autorickshaw rides through the 'AUTO' option on its platform
Autorickshaw driver Lalu V feels being a Jugnoo driver has helped him gain customers. “The app alerts me when a customer is waiting nearby. Also I can always opt to turn off the app and work independently and return to the platform when I want to.”
However, Shaifudeen S says he and his fellow drivers at Chakka do not find being a part of the app useful. “There is a 10 per cent commission taken from us for each ride and also we cannot charge extra in case the customer’s destination is far off.”
Apart from autos, Jugnoo has just launched its app-hailing taxi services.
