BENGALURU: To end the perception that autorickshaw drivers are rude, they overcharge and fleece passengers, the Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union (ARDU) will soon launch the ‘Metro Mitra’ application to change the negative image of auto drivers.
According to Rudramurthy, general secretary, of ARDU, the aim is to remove middlemen, help customers choose drivers and ensure that details of the driver are known to the customer, including name, autorickshaw number and language. The app will also have a provision to share customer experience. The pilot project will be launched at Jayanagar and RV Metro stations, and about 50 drivers are being trained. An additional Rs 10 will be charged on the meter fare for maintenance of the app, which works on the Beta version. “A QR code will give all details of the driver. Commuters will also have the option to choose their drivers. This is to avoid overcharging or refusal to ply,” said Rudramurthy.
Expressing solidarity with ARDU, Adarsh Auto Drivers’ Union general secretary Sampath C said the initiative will have to be replicated across all Metro stations.
He said drivers will also have to be educated and trained on how to use the app and interact with customers. “Customers usually opt for a distance of 5km in the radius of a Metro station, as there is no last-mile connectivity. This initiative will be a win-win for commuters and auto drivers,” he added. Srinivas Alavilli, public transport expert and Fellow of, the World Resource Institute (WRI), lauded the effort and said auto unions play a big role in traffic management.