Bengaluru-based auto rickshaw service MetroMitra will launch its own Whatsapp chatbot feature in January 2024 to allow users to book rides to and from metro stations in just three clicks.
In addition to bridging the last mile connectivity to and from metro stations, the chatbot feature will also allow users to book auto rides to other destinations.
The Whatsapp chatbot feature is a facilitator to help autorickshaw drivers find their customers and vice versa, according to the general secretary of Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union (ARDU) Rudramurthy. The fares will be charged as per the meter plus an additional cost of Rs 10 for every ride.
In fact, the initial plan was to integrate the Namma Metro’s Whatsapp chatbot feature to MetroMitra to allow metro passengers to book auto rides for last mile connectivity, while they purchase metro tickets using the chatbot feature. However, the developers of MetroMitra, backed by Agnibhu Technologies decided to launch their own chatbot because of the delay in integration by the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s (BMRCL).
“The chatbot feature is work in progress. We will soon be running a pilot and will launch the feature in the new year where customers can book auto rides in three simple clicks. Just like any other Whatsapp chat bot feature, we will give customers a Whatsapp number to start a conversation to book a ride. The chat feature will ask for the current location of the user and the destination,” Rudramurthy said.
The feature will also display a list of closest metro stations near the user’s home/office from which passengers can choose their drop location. “Once the user selects the metro station, the nearest MetroMitra driver will be assigned to pick up the customer from the location,” he added.
According to Rudramurthy, MetroMitra has recorded around 1000 downloads and has an active driver base of 300 drivers in Bengaluru.
“We recently held a meeting with all the auto drivers and it was decided that Whatsapp chatbot feature be extended beyond metro stations, to all kinds of destinations. This will boost the revenue of the drivers significantly. We will encourage drivers to get more autorickshaw drivers on board this platform to meet the demand in the coming days,” said Rudramurthy.
With the new chatbot feature, MetroMitra services can be availed through four different modes. Currently, the other three modes include QR code, street-hailing and booking through a web portal.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd Sanath Prasad 
Sanath Prasad is a senior sub-editor and reporter with the Bengaluru bureau of Indian Express. He covers education, transport, infrastructure and trends and issues integral to Bengaluru. He holds more than two years of reporting experience in Karnataka. His major works include the impact of Hijab ban on Muslim girls in Karnataka, tracing the lives of the victims of Kerala cannibalism, exploring the trends in dairy market of Karnataka in the aftermath of Amul-Nandini controversy, and Karnataka State Elections among others. If he is not writing, he keeps himself engaged with badminton, swimming, and loves exploring. … Read More