BENGALURU: In the wake of the state government banning bike taxi services, many riders have started reaching out to commuters directly on WhatsApp. Several people who regularly booked rides from fixed locations, especially around tech parks, Metro stations and office hubs, said they are now getting personal messages from riders.
The drivers are sharing their live location and offering to pick them up, asking them to continue using the service at the same fare as earlier. Many of them are using contact numbers saved from previous trips to reach out. Some commuters who booked parcels also said they received calls from riders asking if a person was travelling instead.
Commuters said as app-based options go out, riders appear to be using phone numbers saved from online payments, earlier trips or deliveries to reach out. “I regularly used to book from the Metro station to my office. Now, the same rider messages me on WhatsApp and asks if I need a ride, sending his location,” Ananya, a commuter working in Whitefield, said.
Some riders are also using parcel bookings as an opportunity to get passenger rides. Commuters reported that when they try to book a parcel delivery through aggregator platforms, riders often call and ask if it’s actually a person who needs to travel and also request that if a person needs a bike taxi, they can book parcel and then cancel the shipment booking and instead coordinate a direct pickup informally.
Several riders are also telling customers that they can save their number and contact them directly in the future, particularly for frequently travelled routes like from Metro stations to offices or PGs. These are growing across areas like Koramangala, Electronic City, Silk Board, Bellandur and Outer Ring Road — where daily demand for quick, last-mile transport remains high.
“They are increasingly doing this now. I tried to book a parcel from my home in Indiranagar to my workplace in Manyata Tech Park. The rider called and asked, ‘Is it a parcel or is someone going?’ When I said it’s a parcel, he asked me to save his number and contact him if a trip is required in and around Indiranagar,” Shivam Kumar, a software engineer, said.
While commuters acknowledged that these arrangements are technically outside the law, many also said they are left with little choice as autorickshaw fares have surged across the city, with reports of Rs 120-Rs 150 being charged for trips under 2 km. “Autos refuse or only quote high fares. These riders are at least reliable and more affordable. But I am also uncomfortable that they have my number,” Kalpana, a commuter from Vasanth Nagar, said.
Many commuters pointed out that they are unsure about how their numbers were stored or whether their data was retained after earlier trips. Though some users are comfortable reaching out to known riders, others felt uneasy about being contacted without consent. Commuters argued that the government needs to offer a practical alternative, as the ban on bike taxis has made short-distance travel more expensive and unreliable and that even for short trips under a kilometre, the fare goes above Rs 100, even during non-peak hours.