SESSION 4A - ‘Role of Rickshaws/Taxi in Sustainable Transport’

1. Promoting Entrepreneurship in India’s
Auto-rickshaw and Taxi Services
Akshay Mani, Program Manager, Integrated Urban
Transport, EMBARQ India

2. Characterization of Intermediate Public
Transport (IPT)

3. Why is it important to focus on IPT?

4. Significant Market Size

5. Significant Mode Shares

6. Policy Vision for the IPT Sector in India
Daily Commute Trips Non-Commute Trips
Short Long Short Long
distance distance distance distance
Non- Non-motorized Public IPT (door-to-door
Public
motorized transport transport service)
transport
transport
IPT as feeder IPT as feeder
mode mode

7. What are the challenges?
Drivers
City Passengers

8. EMBARQ India’s Activities
City
Research and
Demonstration Policy/regulation Entrepreneurship
Publications
Projects
Identification
Literature Rajkot
IPT policy of
review partnership
opportunities
Role of Auto-
rickshaws in Replicating in Permits and Supporting
sustainable other cities fares entrepreneurs
transport
Case studies – Creation of
Mumbai, Rajk platforms for
ot knowledge
exchange
(blogs, events)

9. Entrepreneurship Opportunities
Vehicles and
engines
Technology
based
Organized
information and
services
location
services
Advertising Ridesharing

10. Organized auto-rickshaw services have
been initiated in many cities
They are
Need to
operating at a
understand why
small scale, and
they did not
need to scale-up Organized auto- succeed. Policy
to provide
benefits
rickshaw services barriers, finance?
Three Wheels Radio Tuk
G-Auto Autowale Rickshawale
United Tuk, Gurgaon
Ahmedabad Pune Bangalore Mumbai
Rajkot Bangalore

11. Implementation of Fleet auto-
rickshaw Service in Rajkot

12. Implementation Process
Development of
Selection of type Selection of
service
of service partners
characteristics
Development of
Partnership
implementation Launch
agreement
schedule
Scaling up of Monitoring and
service evaluation

13. Selection of Type of Fleet Service
•Non-profit organizational model
Organizational •Drivers as members and operating under a
Model brand (such as G-Auto)
•Vehicle ownership with drivers
•Driver benefits (insurance, uniform)
•Vehicle improvements
Costs
•Administrative expenses (staff
salaries, travel, telephone, office)
•Grants
Revenues •Service fees (stands, dial-a-rickshaw)
•Advertising

14. Selection of Key Service Characteristics
Dial-a-Rickshaw •Call-auto service at centralized number
Service (24-hrs)
•Metered auto-rickshaw service at railway
Fleet Service at key
station and ST bus stand
transit hubs •Booth facility with receipts
•Meter-based fares based on government
Fare system regulations
Driver
•Licensed and trained drivers, with uniforms
characteristics
Vehicle •Vehicles with environmental and safety
performance certifications

15. Selection of Strategic Partner
Tender Notice – • Tender notice inviting technical
Invitation for bids for fleet auto-rickshaw
Technical Bids service – November 2011
• Strategic partner (Nirmal
Selection of Foundation) selected based on
Strategic Partner tender applications – December
2011

16. Partnership Agreement – May 2012
Rajkot Municipal
Corporation
Nirmal
EMBARQ India
Foundation

17. Partner roles and responsibilities
Partners Roles/Responsibilities
Rajkot Municipal • Initial funding support
Corporation (RMC) • Provision of office infrastructure
• Public outreach
• Stakeholder management
Strategic Partner • Implementation of fleet auto-rickshaw service,
(Nirmal with minimum service requirements such as
Foundation) branded service, dial-a-rickshaw, meter-based
fares, licensed drivers, social welfare to drivers,
and minimum size of fleet (500 in 1 year)
EMBARQ India • Technical advice to partners for addressing
(technical any challenges, and improving quality of
partner/advisor) service
• Monitoring and evaluation of service at
frequent intervals
• Measuring and reporting the benefits of
service to Rajkot and its citizens

18. Key Implementation Activities
• Public outreach to bring visibility for service
Public outreach
to citizens through media channels
•Initial fleet of 50 auto-rickshaws launched on
Launch of service
July 13th, 2012
•Fleet size: scale-up fleet size to more than 500
within one year of operation
Scale-up of Service
•Location: scale-up service to various locations
across Rajkot (railway station, ST bus stand)
•Documenting the benefits of fleet auto-
Documenting and
rickshaw service to the citizens of Rajkot, to
monitoring benefits drivers, and Rajkot city

21. Benefits of fleet organization
Brand image and public perception
Elimination of refusals
Formal meter-based fares
Dial-a-rickshaw service
Operational efficiencies – reduction in empty trips
Reduction in operating and maintenance costs due
to fleet management
Higher earnings for drivers
Environmental benefits due to operational
efficiencies and cleaner vehicles

22. What can other cities learn from Rajkot
City government can play a leadership role in
bringing reforms
Stakeholder involvement and management is
essential during the project
Understanding the role of auto-rickshaws and key
challenges upfront is important to identify reform
initiatives
Public private partnership (PPP) can be viable to
bring reforms
City government can bring visibility to the
initiative through active public outreach, and
representation at various forums

23. Key issues
Finance
Infrastructure Regulation
Marketing and public
Institutional issues
awareness
Mentorship, business
development