Rapido will soon launch taxi pooling services to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport to provide shared mobility options at affordable rates, Aravind Sanka, co-founder of the ride-hailing app, announced on Wednesday. “One vehicle can serve more than two customers. We have already launched auto pooling in Bengaluru and we’re soon launching an airport pooling service. The idea is to make rides from the airport to the city more affordable by allowing passengers to share rides, especially since they’re currently paying thousands of rupees for private trips,” Sanka said during the EV & Future of Mobility session at the Bengaluru Tech Summit. “The concept is simple: for transportation to be accessible to the masses, it must be affordable. The best way to achieve affordability without adding new infrastructure is by optimising and sharing the resources already in use,” he explained. Rapido’s autorickshaw pooling services are available in areas with high demand for rides on similar routes. Sanka said people have embraced the concept of shared rides, especially on popular routes. “By coordinating with captains and available resources, we’re optimising operations. While there are challenges such as navigating insurance claims and regulatory frameworks, we are committed to addressing them effectively,” he said. On the pricing mechanism, Sanka said the platform was looking at a framework benefiting both drivers and customers. “Our focus is on creating a balanced framework. Even with challenges like a lack of carpooling regulations in Karnataka, our approach ensures that consumers benefit while captains earn fairly. The goal is to make shared rides cost-effective, as passengers are headed in the same direction, which optimises resources,” he said. Quick Ride, a carpooling app, offers cheaper airport rides starting from Rs 350, while aggregator apps charge between Rs 900 and Rs 1,400 for airport travel. The platform features transparent fares, with no surge pricing or additional charges involved. Karnataka’s transport department, which was supposed to frame a carpooling policy, has put the plan on the back burner after the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways sought inputs from all states on a series of transport and mobility policies. Carpooling in Bengaluru became a contentious issue after several autorickshaw driver unions sought a ban on the practice, citing losses to their business. Quick Ride, Bla-Bla Car and Cabify are some of the carpooling services operating in Bengaluru.
