Bengaluru-based bike-taxi start-up Rapido has partnered with multi-modal transit application Tummoc to woo public transport users while offering a seamless transit solution to its existing users.

Tummoc enables users to understand public transport routes and transport options between two points within the city. The users can also find the optimum combination that saves on time and cost of travel. Tummoc’s “Plan My Trip” feature helps users discover multiple ways to reach their destination, which will now also include Rapido’s bike-taxi and auto network along with other public and private transport options.

The users will also be able to book the Rapido bike-taxi and auto through Tummoc’s app in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. Rapido’s co-founder Aravind Sanka told BusinessLine that the company has about 25,000 captains in these three cities. Across India, Rapido has a fleet size of 300,000 out of which 40 per cent is autos and 60 per cent bikes. Pan-India the company claims to be doing 1 crore monthly trips on average.

On the other hand, Tummoc has around 65,000 to 70,000 monthly users on the platform who are coming either for checking the information or using first mile and last mile transit options. “We are planning to go to half a dozen cities in the next three to four months and at least 10 cities by April 2022 and continue to grow. By then, we hope to have a million users and at least 200,000 monthly active users.” said Hiranmay Mallick, Founder of Tummoc.

Multi-modal transit

The companies also have plans to incentivise users to experience the multi-modal transit experience. Sanka noted that multi-modal is a very difficult problem because there are multiple parties involved. It is something that people have to first experience and then only do they appreciate the experience. “So to make sure that people are experiencing it at least once, twice or three times. We will figure out an incentivisation model, but we're still finalising those things,” he added.

Further, Rapido is looking at this partnership as only the first level of integration.“We believe there is more than one transportation mode that a user will use for his life, they will always be using some form of public transport. So public transport becomes a core part and hence we are looking forward to the collaboration with existing players who are solving it much deeply. This is one of the partnerships for that,” said Sanka.

Interestingly, Telangana State Road Transport Corporation had recently objected to Rapido’s portrayal of public transportation in a TV advertisement featuring actor Allu Arjun. TSRTC has also sent legal notices to both Rapido and Allu Arjun, asking for the advertisement to be taken down. In response, Rapido has requested Telangana State Road Transport Corporation for 7 days notice to respond to objections raised by TSRTC against Rapido’s recent TVC campaign.

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