Ola and Uber launch bike taxi services in Bengaluru

March 3, 2016

Bengaluru, Mar 3: On demand transportation providers Ola and Uber have announced the launch of bike taxi pilots in Bengaluru on the same day, starting at a minimum fare of Rs. 15, for UberMoto, and Rs. 30 for Ola Bikes.

olabikeUberMoto has been launched at Rs. 3 per kilometre, and Rs. 1 per minute of trip time, while Ola bikes are available at an introductory fare of Rs. 2 per km and Re. 1 per minute of trip time.

Ola app lists Bikes as the first option on its app, though we weren't able to find any available bike taxis in the vicinity. The UberMoto option wasn't available on the app at the time of filing, and the company said that will go live on Thursday.

In an emailed statement, Ola said that bike taxis will offer the same features as its cab service, including includes driver details displayed upfront, SOS, live tracking and seamless payment using Ola Money. Additionally, all pillion riders will be provided with helmets as mandated for their safety.

Uber said that it offers GPS tracking, 2-way feedback, and the ability to share trip details with family and friends. It is also taking registrations from people who own motorbikes and scooters to become drivers on the platform and recoup the costs of their trips.

Uber had launched its first motorcycle scheme in Thailand's capital Bangkok a week ago, where it competes with GrabTaxi, which already lets users book motorcycle taxis in some South East Asian countries.

"This will help users get to where they want to be within minutes, especially in traffic prone cities like ours," said Pranay Jivrajka, Chief Operating Officer at Ola. "We expect significant demand in the pilot phase and we will continue to scale this service up in the coming weeks to cover more areas in the city and serve more users."

"Enabling transportation at the push of a button, UberMoto will offer another affordable mobility option that will help people save time and money while helping cut congestion in our cities over time," said Amit Jain, President, Uber India.

Other startups operating in the two-wheeler on-demand taxi space include Baxi and M-taxi, which operate in Haryana, the second state in India to allow bike taxis as a mode of public transport.

HeyTaxi, which operates as a ride share and on demand delivery service in Mumbai and Bengaluru was reportedly told by the Mumbai's RTO division to shut down as it lacks government sanction, but is currently operational all across Mumbai, said Vikram Lakhotia, in an email to Gadgets 360. The app was functional and accepting bookings at the time of writing.

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Priyanka Sharma
 - 
Thursday, 3 Mar 2016

for bike tax also need to put two helmets, it wont run with helmet.

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News Network
February 4,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 4: The possibility of defeated MLA CP Yogeshwar being inducted into chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s cabinet is causing ripples within the ruling BJP, with many legislators, especially from Kalyana-Karnataka region, raising a banner of revolt.

Several MLAs led by Surapur legislator Narasimha Nayak, also known as Raju Gouda, held a meeting at the Legislators Home on Monday and voiced their opposition.

"When there are more than two dozen MLAs aspiring for a cabinet berth, making a former MLA a minister is beyond logic," Gouda said. "We will convey our feelings to Yediyurappa and state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel." Murugesh Nirani, Paranna Munavalli, Rajkumar Patil, Dattatreya Patil Revoor, Basavaraj Mattimud are among others who attended the meeting. MP Renukacharya, political secretary to the CM and Honnali MLA, was also present at the meeting. "Some more MLAs will join us when we meet again tomorrow," Gouda said.

The MLAs highlighted the issue of caste and regional imbalance in the council of ministers to further their cause. With four from Bengaluru and three from Belagavi district set to take oath on February 6, the share of MLAs from these districts in the cabinet will rise to seven and five respectively. Currently, 16 districts have no representation.

Sources say Yediyurappa and BJP’s national leadership decided to reward Yogeshwar with a cabinet berth for his "active" role in getting 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs to resign and join the BJP, enabling the party to grab power. The party also believes he has the potential to become the Vokkaliga face of the BJP in the Old Mysuru region, where the party’s organisation is weak.

If Yogeshwar is inducted, he will be the second former MLA to make it to Yediyurappa cabinet after deputy CM Laxman Savadi, who lost the 2018 assembly polls. Several party MLAs were unhappy with Savadi’s elevation and are now upping the ante against the party leadership.

"Let Yogeshwar be made Rajya Sabha or council member. We have no problem. But making him minister is not acceptable. If they want to make defeated MLAs ministers, then why not AH Vishwanath and MTB Nagaraj, whose sacrifices brought BJP to power?" said Gouda.

Reports say Yediyurappa has promised Vishwanath and Nagaraj, the disqualified MLAs who lost the bypolls, that they would be made ministers in June. Both met Yediyurappa and secured this assurance. The two were demanding that they be inducted into the cabinet on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Vijayapura MLA Basavanagouda Patil Yatnal urged the CM to evaluate the performance of existing ministers and drop those found non-performing. "Many ministers don’t even come to the Vidhana Soudha. What is the use of having such ministers?" he asked.

Yediyurappa also continued to face pressure to induct Athani MLA Mahesh Kumatalli into the cabinet. The Jarkiholi brothers, Ramesh and Balachandra met Yediyurappa separately on Monday with a request to make Kumatalli, their confidant, a minister.

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News Network
March 3,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 3: Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) on Tuesday issued guidelines to its employees, as per advisory issued by World Health Organisation (WHO), to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

"The BMTC has provided general information on the topic and SOPs for daily life and operations to our employees as per advisory issued by the WHO. The corporation has started a communication campaign about Coronavirus indicating its characteristics, known ways of infection and recommended preventive measures. This information was distributed to the staff, drivers and conductors through Whatsapp, pamphlet and email," informed BMTC.

"The information was also distributed through pamphlets at bus stations. An awareness campaign is being taken up by sharing relevant information through social media," it added.

The BMTC further said that the circular was issued to create awareness among the cleaning personnel who work in depots.

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News Network
February 25,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 25: In the view of 2nd PUC exams from March 4, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has approved free travel for students from home to exam centre on Monday.

"BMTC has extended free travel facility to all PUC students from their residence to examination centre on production of exam hall/admission ticket," said a press note.

BMTC has been issuing student concessional passes to travel from their residence to college at concessional rates for the benefit of students. 

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