ONDC’s app offers better ride for drivers, public

CHENNAI: If you are one of those who have given up on an auto ride in the city, thanks to frustrating negotiations with the driver, help is at hand. Namma Yatri, an auto ride-booking app based on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), has just gone live in Chennai. Already running in Bengaluru, the app functions on a zero-commission model that will help drivers take home better earnings.

Vimal Kumar, CEO of Juspay Technologies, the app developer, said Namma Yatri has added 12,000 drivers in a week and 8,000 drivers are available to take rides. He said they plan to add one lakh more drivers in the next six months. “We are also planning to introduce priority rides to passengers booking for a trip to hospitals. We want the drivers to pick them up immediately,” he said.

The new auto ride booking app would not charge any commission from the drivers. Instead, it will charge a nominal platform fee of Rs 3.5 per ride or Rs 25 per day after their first trip. The app would not provide discounts or incentives and would function as a bridge between the driver and the customer.

The app would allow drivers to choose the trip to avoid cancellations. During the peak hour and nighttime, the drivers could increase the fares by up to 10 per cent and passengers can also provide a tip to drivers.

Namma Yatri’s driver app in Chennai is available in Tamil. Some locations that will be covered include Valluvar Kottam, Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Birla Planetarium, Light House, Tidel Park, and the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.