Namma Yatri is an innovative auto-booking application launched in Developed by Juspay Technologies in collaboration with local auto driver unions, India. Aimed at improving the ride-hailing experience for both drivers and passengers while also showcasing how technology can be leveraged to create equitable solutions for all stakeholders involved.
Namma Yatri was founded by Vimal Kumar, who is also the founder of Juspay, along with Magizhan Selvan. The app was developed as a community-driven initiative aimed at improving the ride-hailing experience for auto drivers and passengers in Bengaluru. It was officially launched in November 2022 and has since focused on providing a driver-centric model that prioritizes fair earnings for drivers while ensuring affordable rides for passengers.
The Inception of Namma Yatri
As the Yatri app gained attention, auto driver unions in Bangalore reached out to Juspay with the idea of creating a similar app for their city. The infrastructure was replicated, leading to the creation of Namma Yatri. Unlike Kochi’s Yatri app, where Juspay was simply a tech partner, Juspay took full charge of operating and marketing Namma Yatri, collaborating closely with the auto drivers themselves for input.
In August, they partnered with the Bangalore Auto Union to bring 100 auto drivers on board and pilot the program in the city. Then, in October 2022, Uber and Ola were temporarily banned in Bangalore for a day as the courts attempted to regulate their pricing strategies. This situation provided an ideal window for the Namma Yatri team to launch the app.
On November 1st, 2022, Namma Yatri officially launched, allowing auto drivers to sign up freely. At a time when there was growing discussion and a search for alternatives to these ride-sharing platforms, Namma Yatri emerged as a promising solution.
How is Namma Yatri different?
Namma Yatri takes a “participatory design” approach by actively involving drivers in the process of finding solutions to their challenges, rather than relying on assumptions or guesses. Unlike other similar apps, the focus was not on prioritizing technology, but rather on putting drivers at the forefront as the core of the platform.
There are three kinds of auto drivers:
- Drivers who do not use an app to find riders.
- Drivers who use multiple apps and juggle between them.
- Drivers who exclusively use one app.
Currently Namma Yatri is emerging as a strong contender as a ride-hailing app option for drivers, alongside OLA, Uber, and Rapido. Namma Yatri is available in Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi, Mysore, Tumkur, and Kolkata.
In a strike that took place against cab aggregators Uber and Ola in Chennai, auto and cab drivers moved to Namma Yatri platform. Alleging that Uber and Ola take hefty commissions of up to 25 per cent per ride, the drivers believe Namma Yatri’s subscription-based model will provide them with 100 per cent of their earnings, as per a DTnext report.”The move benefits both drivers and passengers, as fares remain transparent and fair.”, highlighted Namma Yatri co-founder S Magizhan Selvan.
Google’s Investment
Google has became investors in Moving Tech, the parent firm Namma Yatri in July 2024. Bengaluru-based Moving Tech has raised $11 million in a pre-Series A funding round co-led by Blume Ventures and Antler, the startup said. Google participated in the round by investing $10 billion dollars.
Challenge for Namma Yatri
Major ride-hailing companies like Uber, Rapido and Ola have bike taxi services, intensifying competition in the market. The bike taxi services have received a great response from the audience. This rapid response from established players posed a significant challenge for Namma Yatri to differentiate itself and attract users amidst a crowded landscape.
Namma Yatri is excited about 2025 as they plan to expand into public transport integration and scale the shared mobility for greater impact.
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