Bike taxi operator, Rapido, on July 6 announced filing for the Bike Taxi Service Application with Karnataka transport authority and its plan to ramp up hiring 100 women captains in Bangalore by the end of 2022.
With the impact of the pandemic on families, ease of lockdown restrictions and the increasing demand of bike taxi rides, the company aims to adopt a bullish growth strategy for Bangalore and be committed towards creating more reliable jobs in the city.
The biggest USP of joining Rapido is its flexible work timing and recently announced #HelpForHelmetHeroes programme. The company has made provisions to reduce the burden of financial, physical, and mental worries so that the captain’s livelihood is not majorly impacted by the pandemic. The company also plans to provide rental electric 2W for potential captains that can help them earn an income as per their convenience.
“With the recent order by the Karnataka High Court, ambiguity regarding bike taxi legality is now set to resolve. Interested candidates can confidently join Rapido as a captain to earn an income utilizing their bikes as taxis, without any fear of implications and objections,” a statement from the company said.
On the plans to ramp up hiring in the city, Pavan Guntupalli, co-founder at Rapido, said: “As a company, we strongly believe in and are committed to the ethos of inclusive growth. Our women captains have witnessed financial independence by riding with Rapido and we would like to extend this income opportunity to the women in Bangalore. The city is one of our top cities in terms of usage and with the ongoing updates in the legal framework for our operations, we want to on-board more women captains to give the local sheroes a chance to become economically independent through a safer, choice based and support led experience.”
The Karnataka High Court in a recent case filed by a leading transport aggregator has observed that under the law, a motorcycle taxi can be used for hire on which a passenger could be carried on pillion. Court further observed that a motorcycle taxi has been categorized as a transport vehicle by the central government under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Therefore, in light of the provisions under law, the court allowed various aggregators, to make their respective applications to the relevant state Road Transport Authority for renting of motorcycle/taxi service for hire.
“Rapido has also filed its application with the State Transport Authority for motorcycle/taxi service and is looking forward to a positive response. Rapido is working very closely with various state governments and is open to working with Karnataka government to frame guidelines for regulating the same,” the company said.
