Taxi service providers in India, Ola and Uber have launched Bike Taxi services in Bengaluru on the same day. The minimum fare of UberMoto starting at Rs. 15 and Rs. 30 for Ola Bikes.
Starting fare of Ola bikes are Rs. 2 per km and Re. 1 per minute of trip time. While UberMoto price will be Rs. 3 per kilometre, and Rs. 1 per minute of trip time.
Uber India President Amit Jain said, “We are very excited to pilot uberMOTO in Bengaluru pairing our on-demand technology platform with motorbikes, the predominant mode of transport in India”.
Uber said that it offers GPS tracking, 2-way feedback, and the ability to share trip details with family and friends. It is also taking registrations from people who own motorbikes and scooters to become drivers on the platform and recoup the costs of their trips.
“Bike Taxis will help users in Bengaluru get to where they want to be within minutes, especially in traffic-prone areas. We aim to enable safe pillion rides for our users with trained two-wheeler drivers at competitive fares,” Ola Chief Operating Officer Pranay Jivrajka told PTI.
According to sources, some 500 people have signed up on Ola’s platform for the Bike Taxis service.
Other startups operating in the two-wheeler on-demand taxi space include Baxi and M-taxi, which operate in Haryana, the second state in India to allow bike taxis as a mode of public transport.
Ola app lists Bikes as the first option on its app. The UberMoto option wasn’t available on the app at the time of filing, and the company said that will go live on Thursday.