Open-source mobility platform Namma Yatri is looking to deepen its footprint with new public transport integrations, category expansions, and selective bike taxi operations in legally cleared States.

“We will be open for other categories as well, provided there is a pain point and a gap in the market,” said said Shan MS, Chief Operating Officer of the company. “We’ll offer bike taxis only where it is legal—like Kolkata. In Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, where it’s currently unclear, we’re not taking interpretations,” he added.

 The company is also piloting public transport digitisation in Kerala. “We’ve initiated a pilot in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi,” he said. “Once we formally launch, the plan is to expand operations State-wide across Kerala. The timeline will be aligned with the government’s directives and approvals,” he added.

Currently, about 40-45 per cent of its revenue comes from cabs, he noted. The company also provides three-wheeler services and recently introduced disability-friendly rides.

Talking about tipping, Shan noted the smart tipping feature—a voluntary price bump initiated by customers when base fares fail to match real-time demand.

“It is 100 per cent voluntary, and 100 per cent goes to the driver. This came from the community. Customers asked for the option to pay more rather than switch to another app with 2x pricing—where not even all of it goes to the driver,” he explained.

Namma Yatri is also collaborating with State governments on non-traditional categories, such as ambulances and shuttle services, and is exploring hyperlocal rollouts driven by AI-based city customisations.

The app’s introduction of disability-friendly rides and transparent pricing, including per-km and per-minute breakdowns, has helped it build trust among users.

While the model has scaled sustainably without discounts or IPL-style marketing blitzes, the company is now turning its focus to digitising public transport services, including trip planning, digital ticketing, and live tracking.

Namma Yatri is also looking to raise funds and will start the process sometime later this year, Shan added.

Published on June 12, 2025