Kochi’s own rickshaw hailing app looks to bridge digital divide

ERNAKULAM: As disrupters go, taxi haling apps brought a paradigm shift to the way we hired taxis in Kochi. Though booking an autorickshaw also went the app way, it never took off in the city. Now, a new app from Infopark-based Tukxi India Pvt Ltd is looking to bridge this digital divide.Tukxi, a portmanteau made up of tuk-tuk and taxi, unlike other ride hailing apps, gives first preference to auto drivers in the nearest auto stands.

And commuters need only to pay the ride charges fixed by the government. “We are trying to change the auto-rickshaw operations in the city. Running on the metre fare will help avoid conflicts between passengers and drivers,” said Sooraj Nair, head of operations and business of Tukxi India.

“Finding an autorickshaw on other apps is a time consuming process, much like flagging down one standing on the roadside. With Tuksi, it’s easy as the vehicle comes from the nearby ‘auto’ stand. And they charge a reasonable fare,” said Gayathri A, a frequent commuter.

“Once the user requests a ride, our system allocates the trip first to the autorickshaw from the virtual queue in the nearest stand,” said Arjun Thampi, marketing manager of Tukxi. “If someone from Kaloor area is booking a ride, Tuksi will redirect the ride to the nearby drivers. If they refuse to accept the ride, it will be passed on to other auto drivers in the nearest locality. This ensures a smooth and amicable relationship among the auto drivers of each stand,” he said.

“Compared to other apps, Tukxi is much more profitable. It connects the nearest auto stand rickshaws and the fare is also reasonable,” said Shaji Alwin, a Tukxi auto driver.Firoze K B, who runs for Uber auto as well as Tukxi, said the new app offers the drivers higher fares. “We get pick-up charges too. The app is gaining popularity gradually. The number of trips in Tukxi has been increasing by the day,” he said.There are no hidden charges and the company charges `10 from the booking fee, said Arjun. Over 750 auto drivers in Kochi have already registered with the app.