This app combines public transport with first and last-mile commute

What is the cheapest commute mode from Koramangala to Peenya, first-mile and last-mile included?

Combining the bus, metro, Uber, Yulu and other last-mile options, a city-based mobility startup has launched an app platform that combines routes with pricing for the first time.

The app — Tummoc — could potentially be a game-changer once the fully unlocked Namma Metro and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus operations get their routes and timings on the app’s dashboard. Uber will be integrated into Tummoc’s ecosystem by June-end, says startup CEO and cofounder Hiranmay Mallick.

How the app works

Once the source and destination are selected, the app populates its interface with the best possible public transport routes (fastest to cheapest). When the desired route is selected, Tummoc gives a visual travel transition (first mile–public transport–last mile). The user can then book the first- and last-mile options to and fro the public transport stations.

Besides Uber, the first- and last-mile connectivity link could be an autorickshaw or a Yulu or Bounce bike. “We have tied up with 1,500 partners for the first and last miles in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata,” says Mallick.

Single-ticketing for multiple commute modes on a single journey could be the next big stride for Tummoc. “We want to integrate this into the app. The idea is to start a pilot with at least two to three stations combining BMTC buses, the metro and Uber. We have the technology ready to create the QR code, generate the ticket and do the necessary verifications.”

In Bengaluru, the app is currently in the ‘Trip-Planner’ mode and will go fully live once the BMTC and metro operations begin. Besides tracking real-time bus and metro routes and timings, the app will also show the nearby cycle-share and bike-share options.

Carbon points

The app will also give a measure of the carbon saved every time a user hops onto the public transport option. “The amount of carbon emissions per capita while using personal vehicles is considerably higher than public transport.”

For instance, if a user takes the BMTC bus through the app, he/she gets 100 carbon points.

“We calculate the amount of carbon you save by choosing Tummoc-powered public transport over personal commute options.”

Formerly Bykerr, Tummoc is arguably the first multi-modal connectivity app (Trip Planner and Connectivity) in the country and has a patent pending for the same.

The startup had won the STAMP Challenge in 2018 and ELEVATE 2018, organised by the Karnataka government.