Uber Pivots Bengaluru's Bike Taxi Pilot Into a Bike Pooling Programme

Transportation aggregator Uber said Friday that it has some modifications to its ongoing bike taxi pilot service in Bengaluru with a commitment to operate within the existing legal framework on the state of Karnataka.

"To clarify, the UberMoto service was launched to operate at cost only - effectively encouraging bikers to share the cost of a ride and eliminating the need for additional permits. Uber will also not charge any service fee for the period of this pilot," an emailed statement from Uber said.

Uber said that the launch of its bike taxi pilot, which launched on the same day as Ola Bikes, was made with a vision to reduce congestion and fill every empty seat - whether it's a car or a bike on the road.

Bikes belonging to the two companies were seized soon after the launch by the Road Transport Authority, the Commissioner for Transport and Road Safety had told Gadgets 360 that these bikes needed a yellow board vehicle and permission from the deputy commissioner of the district to operate.

Ola had shut down its bike taxi services a week ago, with the bike taxi icon no longer available on the app. UberMoto still continues be listed on Uber's app, and is still accepting registrations from users to sign up as an UberMoto rider.

"We commend the Karnataka Government for reaffirming their commitment to create progressive regulations soon that prioritises consumer choice, fosters innovation and helps improve the traffic situation in the city," Uber said.

Haryana became the the second state in India after Goa to allow bike taxis as a mode of public transport in November 2015. Over 20 bike taxi services are currently operational in India, said startup data tracker Tracxn.