QUEEN'S ROAD: Endless traffic jams, no cabs available during peak hours and an expensive commute. This is the everyday life of the average Bengalurean.
But a group of youngsters are determined to make a difference with ‘Hey Bob’, the city’s first bike taxi initiative. On August 29, the team gathered at Cubbon Park to launch the app ‘Hey Bob’ and interacted with the public. They then rode together to M G Road.
“We live in one of the most crowded cities in the world. More than 50 lakh vehicles are vying for space on Bengaluru’s roads. It is a huge urban crisis and individuals now have to take matters into their own hands. Hey Bob is here to make your commute smoother and your wallets happier,” said a press release from the team.
‘Hey Bob’ was founded by four entrepreneurs — Vishal, Girish, Suman and Vinay. They have modelled the service on Ola and Uber. They believe that having bike taxis as an alternative will reduce the number of cars on roads. It will also make commutes swift and hassle-free.
But there is a catch. There is no law on bike taxis in Bengaluru at the moment. But this has not dampened the spirits of the founders who are in talks with the Transport Department to make this initiative a success. They are confident a law on bike taxis will be passed soon. Operations will begin only after this.
Rame Gowda, Commissioner for Transport and Road Safety, said such taxis could be introduced in the city after the authorities give the go-ahead. He said if bike taxis are to be introduced, they have to comply with all the regulations for taxis under the Motor Vehicles Act. It starts with applying for a permit. He added that the Hey Bob team may have already filed its application in one of the RTOs and the paperwork may not have reached him yet.