NITI Aayog definition of carpooling allows for recovering cost

QuickRide and BlaBla have given representation to department

Private transport unions had demanded regulation of carpooling during Bengaluru Bandh

The Government of Karnataka is working on an updated set of guidelines for carpooling which would be released shortly after Dussehra.  “Two ride-hailing apps Quick Ride and BlaBla car have given their representations to the department,” the official said as per a report in The Times of India.

Earlier reports had emerged that there was a blanket ban issued on carpooling in the city. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy had however refuted these claims. Speaking to NewsFirst Prime, he said, “Permissions are required for autos and school buses. But for non-commercial purposes, the question of permission does not arise for carpooling. There is no question of banning. Carpooling aggregators are just being merely asked to shift to a yellow board if they are doing it for commercial purposes.” A meeting was arranged between carpooling aggregators and the transport minister. 

One of the demands of the protests by private transport unions that had called for a Bengaluru Bandh on September 11th was regarding the regulation of the carpooling activities.  The NITI Aayog in its report defined carpooling as “ridesharing similar to ride sourcing, in which trips are shared by travellers, but with the exception that drivers are not considered for-hire, though they can receive some forms of compensation to recover their costs. Ridesharing can be acquaintance-based, organisation-based, or ad-hoc.” It does however stipulate that an insyurance of Rs 5 lakh needs to be obtained by the car owner for the ride sharers.