Bengaluru
The Bengaluru driver community, including the Autorickshaw Drivers Union (ARDU), has extended its support to Namma Yatri, an auto-hailing app that has gained traction as an alternative to ride-hailing giants Ola and Uber. Starting from September 1, drivers using the Namma Yatri app will be required to pay a subscription fee. According to ARDU, drivers will have two subscription options: either pay Rs 25 for unlimited trips per day or opt for a fee of Rs 3.50 per ride. We have been providing the Namma Yatri app free of charge for all these months. However, this subscription fee is not a commission. It’s aimed at helping us maintain the app, cover operational expenses, and establish a customer care center. We will commence the collection of this subscription fee from drivers starting September 1, stated PL Pattabhiram, the organising secretary of ARDU in Bengaluru, as reported by Money Control. Namma Yatri, developed by Juspay in alignment with the standards set by the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), was introduced on November 1, 2022. It emerged as an alternative platform in response to concerns raised by many drivers about aggregators charging significant commission fees, which can be around 30%. In February 2023, we updated our website with the announcement that a small subscription fee would be charged to drivers. Since then, we’ve conducted comprehensive surveys to understand drivers’ preferences. Around 35,000 drivers have already selected plans based on their preferences, with approximately 7,500 completing the subscription process. Another 6,000 have opted for the initial offer, stated a spokesperson from Namma Yatri. As part of an initial deal, Namma Yatri has introduced a scheme allowing drivers to pay only Rs 1 per journey for the month of September. This offer has already been chosen by approximately 6,000 drivers. According to ARDU, around 88,800 auto drivers have registered on the Namma Yatri app, serving approximately 17.2 lakh users. Since its launch on November 1, 2022, these drivers have collectively earned a total of Rs 116 crore through over 78.40 lakh trips.
