Now, autorickshaw hailing app to bar ride refusals

PUNE: A federation of autorickshaw drivers has launched a booking app with an aim at providing transparent mobility services to the commuters.
The association has also taken steps where it can bar autorickshaw drivers from the platform for five days if they reject a commute raised by the platform users three times in a month. “Following this action, if the errant drivers continue to reject rides, the platform will report such drivers to RTO (Regional Transport Office) each time they reject a ride,” said Kedar Dhamale, director of End Mile Connectivity Federation.
The federation has developed the app, O Rickshaw, for aggregating rickshaw drivers on the platform that is on government-owned e-commerce platform, ONDC. Over 12,000 autorickshaw drivers, which are part of this federation, will be on-boarded the app. Plans are afoot to add another 35,000 rickshaw drivers in two-three months. The federation said it would induct only rickshaws authorised by the RTO.
The platform will follow a zero-commission model. However, the federation will charge a nominal fee for the rickshaw drivers on a 24-hour basis to recover the cost of creating the platform. The surplus generated through fee collection will be used for schemes for betterment of the members. The schemes include insurance and medical coverage. The platform will also charge government-mandated fares, without any surcharges during peak period.
“ONDC is present in eight cities where rickshaw federations have listed their platforms. Pune is the ninth city. This will be a transformative moment in transportation in India if commuters can buy tickets for multiple modes of transport on a platform,” ONDC senior vice-president Nitin Nair said.
The federation is planning to increase cross functionality of the platform through which users can book Metro tickets with the app or book a rickshaw using Metro app. It has signed an agreement to the effect with Maha Metro.
Representatives of consumer rights organisations also welcomed the move, saying this will translate into easier transportation for commuters. “The federation should consider a symbol for the rickshaws on-boarded the platform as a differentiator from the regular ones,” Grahak Peth official Suryakant Pathak said.