After facing stiff competition from Uber and Ola which have impacted their business, Bengaluru’s 12 autorickshaw and taxi driver unions are all set to launch an app aggregating services of both autos and cabs named bTag.
The app will be launched by the city’s B-transport Solution founded by Basavaraju N L.
Basavaraju N L said, "We have already enrolled nearly 9,000 auto drivers from 12 unions, including Adarsh Autorickshaw and Taxi Drivers' Union and Rajiv Gandhi Auto and Taxi Union. We are also in talks with CPM-backed CITU Autorickshaw Drivers Union to come on board,” reports TOI.
The app which will be launched in two months will ensure the safety of the passengers since the drivers are handpicked and will also feature facilities like cashless payment and GPS-enabled tracking.
Meanwhile, as many commuters prefer app based auto services, traditional auto drivers are facing the heat with no modern technologies to promise a hassle-free ride.
While Ola has been running app based autos in the city since 2014, Uber introduced its auto service on Tuesday. Ola has recently launched a campaign for its auto service as it was making less operational losses compared to cabs.
Meanwhile some auto drivers say app-based rides help them serve the commuters better.
S Manjunath, an auto driver with Ola said, "Earlier, plying around the city looking for customers used to burn a lot of fuel, drilling a hole in my pocket. But that's not a concern any more. However, some customers cancel the ride when the vehicle has almost reached the pick-up point”, reports TOI.
Meanwhile General secretary of Adarsh union, C Sampath, said: "We have decided to sign up for bTag since Ola and Uber have been betraying drivers. The new app will ensure a steady income to drivers who have been struggling after the entry of taxi-hailing aggregators", reports TOI.