Bike Taxi

Guntupalli tells how a no-frills strategy, zero-commission model, and intimate knowledge of India's diversity have enabled Rapido to become one of the country's biggest ride-hailing companies

Karnataka's expert panel has backed the continued ban on bike taxis, calling them illegal, unsafe and outside the Motor Vehicles Act

Bike taxi aggregator Rapido expects to start working on the process for public listing by the end of next year, a top company official said. Rapido Co-Founder Aravind Sanka told PTI that the company expects to maintain its growth rate of 100 per cent year-on-year for the next few years and be a much larger player compared to its nearest competitor before going for the initial public offering (IPO). "We just want to grow further before thinking about markets. Right now, our idea is how do we grow further... We have been growing 100 per cent in the last two years. We want to at least continue that growth rate for a few more years and then think of the market," he said. On whether Rapido is looking to start preparing for IPO after two years, Sanka said the timelines keep changing every quarter depending on the firm's performance but the company wants to be ready irrespective of the way things are outside. "We are making moves around that, both from a preparedness point of view, busine

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The Karnataka High Court questioned whether the state's new gig workers law applies to bike taxis and adjourned the matter to October 15, asking the government to avoid coercive steps against riders

This comes after the Karnataka High Court bench clarified that it has not passed any order allowing bike taxi services in the state

The Karnataka High Court has clarified that it had not passed any order permitting ride-hailing companies to resume bike taxi services, a day after such operations were seen returning to city roads. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru observed that while the state government is free to act against bike taxi aggregators in accordance with law, enforcement authorities must refrain from targeting individual vehicle owners. During a hearing on August 20, the bench had adjourned the matter to September 22, giving the government time to decide whether it intended to frame a policy on bike taxis. On Friday, Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty informed the court that several operators had restarted services despite there being no judicial order permitting them to do so. Counsel representing bike taxi riders countered, saying that enforcement authorities were seizing motorcycles belonging to individual owners. The bench clarified that its earlier concern was limited to ..

Bike taxis are back on the roads in Karnataka following the High Court's "balanced and thoughtful observations", said Karnataka Bike Taxi Welfare Association (KBTWA) president Adi Narayan on Thursday. Uber, Ola and Rapido have brought back the bike taxi feature on their platforms. According to Narayan, it would benefit over six lakh riders who were without income because of the ban on bike taxis. State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy was not immediately available for comments. Bike taxi operations had been suspended since June 16, following a single judge order prohibiting bike taxi services. On August 20, the Karnataka High Court came down heavily on the state government's ban on bike taxis, calling its arguments against the service "thin" and legally untenable. It also said the state cannot deny livelihoods by citing the absence of a formal policy. Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, who headed the bench, noted that bike taxis are permitted in at least 13 states across the country

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday came down on the state government's ban on bike taxis, calling its arguments against the service 'thin' and "legally untenable". Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, heading the bench, noted that bike taxis are permitted in at least 13 states across the country and have emerged as a lawful and essential mode of urban transport. He observed that such services are not a luxury but a necessity, especially for affordable and efficient last-mile connectivity. Rejecting the government's stance that the Motor Vehicles Act prohibits bike taxis, the court said the State cannot deny livelihoods by citing the absence of a formal policy. A mere lack of regulation cannot be the basis for a blanket ban that deprives thousands of their right to work under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, the Chief Justice remarked. The court also asked the Advocate General (AG) to ensure that no coercive or punitive action is taken against bike taxi operators in the interim. Th

The CCPA stated that Rapido made misleading claims in its promotional campaigns, including "Guaranteed Auto" and "AUTO IN 5 MIN OR GET ₹50", which were not substantiated

The transport office has also taken action against 123 vehicles in Mumbai, Thane, Vasai, Vashi, and Panvel

Says Pavan Guntupalli, co-founder of Rapido: "The guidelines permit states to have an additive policy but not the option to accept or reject the guidelines."

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Members of the Bike Taxi Welfare Association staged a hunger protest on Sunday, demanding to lift the ban on bike taxis in Karnataka and calling for an inclusive policy framework. They have also written an open letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. According to the association, protests were held in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya, Davangere, and Ramanagara, with several bike taxi riders participating. App-based bike taxi services were suspended across Karnataka on June 16 after the Karnataka High Court refused to stay an earlier order suspending such operations unless the state government notifies relevant guidelines under the Motor Vehicles Act. A division bench of the High Court, on June 13, had declined to stay the April 2 order given by a single judge, which directed bike taxi operators to stop services within six weeks. This deadline was later extended to June 15. "Sir, we, who ride through rain and sun to serve Karnataka, are writing this letter not out of anger but out of ...

Rapido users in Delhi NCR can now book metro tickets via the app through a DMRC and ONDC tie-up, with Rs 25 fixed-fare rides and first ride offers to metro stations

Two individual bike owners moved the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, challenging a recent single judge ruling that banned the operation of bike taxis in the state. The petitioners argued that the state cannot infringe upon the fundamental right to carry on a business or choose a bike taxi over the metro or a bus. Represented by Senior Advocate Dhyan Chinnappa, the owners argued that the prohibition not only contradicts provisions in the Motor Vehicles Act, but also severely impacts both their livelihood and public convenience. Appearing before a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice V Kameswar Rao and Justice C M Joshi, Chinnappa contended that the Motor Vehicles Act allows two-wheelers to be registered as transport vehicles. Therefore, the state government cannot legally refuse to issue contract carriage permits to bikes intended for taxi use. The law enables registration of two-wheelers as transport vehicles. If the statute allows it, the state cannot override it by ...

A zero-commission model relies on increasing numbers of taxis entering the market, but states' data shows that new taxis are growing at a slower rate than is required

Not just the customers, bike-taxi drivers are also left stranded as many depended on the service for their livelihood