As autos remain elusive, Bengalureans turn to bike taxis

Many Bengalureans opted for bike taxis over autorickshaws in 2024. They cited cheaper fares and lower cancellation rates as the main reasons.

Riya Jain has booked a bike taxi about four times every week since February. “I had been trying to book an auto or a cab on multiple apps for over an hour. I was on the brink of a panic attack. I had to reach a work event and I couldn’t miss it. That’s when I gave bike taxis a try and have not looked back since,” shares the 26-year-old corporate employee.

She used to be wary of bike taxis earlier. She had heard of safety issues concerning girls. But her experience has been good so far. “I find bike taxi drivers more well-mannered than auto drivers. They don’t haggle and are more accommodating when it comes to waiting time and language barrier,” she explains.

Currently, people can avail of bike taxis on three apps — Rapido, Uber, and Ola. Most Bengalureans Metrolife spoke to favoured Uber and avoided Rapido.

‘Consistently cheaper’

Despite some poor experiences with bike taxis in the past, 22-year-old Hifza Shaikh returned to them this year due to surge pricing on cab aggregator services. The 22-year-old shares her dilemma: “The bike drivers used to drive rashly, and once, a drunk driver came to pick me up. But there are better safety protocols in place now. A bike taxi ride from my home in Cox Town to my office in Koramangala costs around Rs 100 even during peak hours. If I hail an auto, the drivers demand anywhere between Rs 250 and Rs 300,” she explains.

Rishab Vinay Malde also prefers bike taxis, despite occasional issues. “Once, my bike taxi driver was speeding while watching a video on his phone, but that was a rare case. Overall, I prefer bike taxis. They help me get from point A to point B faster by avoiding traffic,” reasons the freelance sports writer.

Twenty-seven-year-old Sakshi Mishra uses bike taxis to travel from Koramangala to the Central Business District (CBD).

“When I try to book an auto to or from crowded areas like M G Road, I often have to add a tip, on top of the surge pricing. Tipping isn’t necessary with bikes. On any day, a bike taxi is at least Rs 50 cheaper than an auto,” says the communication specialist.

Priyanshu Lahoti frequently uses bike taxis to travel from his home in J P Nagar to his college on Hosur Road.

The 21-year-old says, “There is no surge pricing during rush hours. The fare is Rs 41 every day. An auto would cost at least Rs 70 on these apps. Plus, I don’t face the issue of ride cancellation with bike taxis,” he says.

Ola and Rapido did not respond to Metrolife’s queries. Uber was unreachable.

Fare comparison
A bike taxi from Koramangala to M G Road costs between Rs 43 and Rs 66 at 5 pm. In comparison, an autorickshaw costs between Rs 89 and Rs 125. A bike taxi from Majestic to Malleswaram costs between Rs 48 and Rs 63 at 8 pm. In comparison, an autorickshaw costs between Rs 102 and Rs 137.

Case to legalise bike taxi
Earlier this year, the state government issued a ban on bike taxis. It said that the use of non-transport vehicles, such as bikes with white number plates, as taxis violate the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, 1988.

However, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways clarified that motorcycles fall within the definition of ‘contract carriage’. According to the MV Act, a contract carriage is a vehicle carrying passengers for hire under a specific agreement.

Ride-hailing services like Rapido have been opposing Karnataka government’s decision and are demanding a bike taxi policy.