Public transport, while being the cheapest, is never a smooth ride. In case you are taking the metro, traffic jams too are not on your worry list. However, the entire metro journey is a task as it involves reaching the station and then your final destination, which is invariably at a distance from the station. This is where Metroride comes it. It is a metro shuttle service that helps with first and last mile connectivity to and from high-frequency hubs.
Metroride is an AI-enabled platform that provides daily commuters with rides — both shared and private — in electric vehicles (EVs) that connect them to and from their nearest metro stations. The vehicles travel in the opposite direction of the given metro line and inside a radius of five kilometres. The rides are affordable and fares fixed with no surge pricing. The fare for each ride on the platform is Rs 10.
Just like the other ride-hailing platforms, users can book a ride through their app, which is available on both Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. The turnaround time for a ride is usually under five minutes.
What makes Metroride different from other platforms is that quick turnaround time and the fact that the drivers do not have the option to cancel the ride. Also Metroride is supplementing and not competing with the metro.
The Metroride drivers come from a lower-income background who cannot necessarily wait for the end of the month to get their paychecks or may not even have a bank account. Metroride allows drivers the freedom to decide on mode of payment. The company also helps them open bank accounts if needed. The drivers are paid regardless of the number of rides, and there is an incentive if they can show over 40 rides in a day.
The platform is currently operational in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Earlier last year, it signed an MoU with the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) to solve the first and last mile connectivity issue. It deploys over 200 two- and three-wheel EVs.
With regard to future plans, the founders said they are even looking at subscription plans to make the process easier and faster for commuters. The Metroride app also lets people buy or recharge their metro tokens in certain regions so they don’t have to wait in queues.
