Bengaluru: Mobile App For Auto Rickshaw Drivers Launched

Three Wheels United (TWU), a Bangalore based social enterprise that offers holistic financing solutions for auto drivers to own a light electric vehicle, has launched a mobile app.

Through this app, drivers can find information about safety and sanitisation protocols, government relief initiatives for drivers, service station locations, peer to peer vehicle rental, charging points for electric auto-rickshaws, and other resources. In addition, they can also avail information and advice on vehicle loans, personal insurance and details about discounts/promotions from service providers.

Till now, TWU has distributed 3500 sanitisation kits and trained over 5000 drivers on relevant safety protocols during COVID-19 to keep drivers and their passengers safe. With over 10,600 downloads, the app is currently available in Kannada and English. Over the next few months, TWU will launch the app in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Commenting on the launch of the app, Cedrick Tandong, CEO, Three Wheels United said, "At Three Wheels United, we build products and offerings that are tailored to the needs of our clients. Whilst drivers are inundated with various types of information, it is often not easily accessible to them – especially those with lower literacy levels – and it can be hard to distinguish genuine information from false."

This existing problem has been magnified in the lockdown and the organisation is rapidly responding to the crisis by updating this app. Initial information focused on COVID-19 safety and livelihood opportunities. But now it has expanded to deliver a wider range of information and services with the app. The main objective behind it is to provide the drivers with the tools that would enable good decision making at the tap of a button - simplifying their daily business operations.

An auto-rickshaw driver from Shivanahalli, Bengaluru using the app said, "An app like this is very useful for auto drivers to access the right information. It helps in getting new business opportunities, gives details about rental schemes and provides training on sanitization measures to be followed for customer safety as well as for our safety"

Three Wheels United has till date offered over 30,000 drivers various products and services and has financed over 3000 auto rickshaws.

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