Latest news with #Cityflo
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Cityflo partners with Aaveg to launch electric bus fleet in Delhi NCR
Urban mobility platform Cityflo has announced the launch of its first electric bus fleet in Delhi NCR through a strategic partnership with fleet management firm Aaveg . The collaboration marks Cityflo's entry into the electric public transport segment in the capital region, following its operations in Mumbai and Hyderabad. Under the arrangement, Aaveg will own and maintain the electric buses, while Cityflo will manage end-to-end commuter services, including route planning, booking and service delivery. The model combines Cityflo's tech-led operational control with Aaveg's fleet ownership and maintenance. The electric buses are already in service on high-demand corridors such as Rohini–DLF Cyber City and Sohna Road, and early rider feedback has highlighted improvements in punctuality, comfort and reliability. The move aligns with Cityflo's broader plan to electrify at least 20 per cent of its fleet by FY26. The company said it would scale up adoption based on the pace of battery and charging infrastructure development in Indian cities. For Aaveg, the partnership reflects its push to expand electric mobility options in urban public and corporate transport segments. Both firms cited sustainability, reliability and scalable growth as central goals. The companies said the initiative contributes to India's ongoing efforts to transition urban transport systems toward lower emissions and improved commuter experience.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Coming soon, white paper on public transport in Mumbai
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA), functioning as a state govt advisor similar to NITI Aayog, is preparing to release a white paper addressing public transport buses, encompassing BEST and private bus aggregators in Mumbai. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The report will present recommendations to the state govt regarding the enhancement of BEST's financial status and operational efficiency in Mumbai, while improving services for passengers using premium aggregator buses such as Cityflo and inter-state buses. A meeting was convened by MITRA on Wednesday, with participation from CEO Pravin Pardeshi, BEST general manager SVR Srinivas, WRI India representatives, and various transport specialists and analysts. The discussions included proposals for BEST to utilise private school and corporate buses during their inactive periods for transporting passengers on shorter routes. This arrangement would provide additional income for private operators while helping BEST, whose fleet reached its lowest point in 15 years, to service feeder routes, particularly near railway and Metro stations with continuous passenger flow. Another proposal discussed at Wednesday's meeting involved developing space above BEST depots, allocating two floors for BEST offices whilst designating remaining floors for commercial use, ensuring steady revenue for the financially constrained organisation. This concept draws from Japanese cities where land resources generate supplementary income for public transport operations. A recent MITRA meeting also explored the possibility of allowing premium aggregator buses to park in designated areas within BEST depots. This arrangement would provide parking facilities for private operators to expand their fleet whilst generating revenue for BEST through substantial parking fees. The meeting suggested the development of underground and multi-deck parking facilities at BEST's 27 depots to increase capacity. All these will be part of the white paper being prepared in order to revive BEST, streamline private bus operations, and improve services for commuters for all categories of buses.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mumbai commuters fume over state govt decision to stop illegal bus shuttles; transport minister reiterates action on aggregator buses, cabs, or bike taxis flouting rules
Mumbai: Hundreds of commuters in the city, mostly office-goers, slammed transport minister Pratap Sarnaik's decision to take action against private aggregator bus shuttles for "operating across MMR without a licence from state govt. " Uber Shuttle will completely shut down from Saturday morning. On Friday, Sarnaik issued an official directive that legal action will be taken against private transport businesses, including buses, cars, and bike taxis, if they violate rules. Those using Cityflo and Uber Shuttles for daily commutes to office and back told TOI that if these app-based buses go off roads, they would be inconvenienced. Cityflo continues to operate and no action initiated so far, sources said. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai "It will deprive commuters the benefit of travelling comfortably in these premium app-based buses which guarantee confirmed seats," said Sandeep Sinha, who takes the Uber Shuttle from Thane Viviana Mall to BKC regularly and travels in BharatBenz buses. These shuttles connect Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Mumbai to commercial hubs such as BKC and Nariman Point, catering to commuters in over 500 private buses. Raising the issue of aggregator buses in the legislative council on Friday, BJP MLC Niranjan Davkhare said Cityflo buses were a boon for office-goers and should not be banned. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Most Women Have No Idea This Household Item Fades Dark Spots Overnight Undo "Take action against them if there are any violations, but do not ban them," he urged. Vashi resident Shweta Desai, a Cityflo user, said, "Cityflo is a hit with commuters travelling the north-south corridor of the city or from Mumbai to Thane/Navi Mumbai. It has led to ease of commuting to the office and back, with routes from Vashi to Andheri, Worli, or south Mumbai commercial hubs." Deepa Mukherjee from Mulund said, "I travel comfortably to Goregaon East unlike waiting in a long queue for BEST AC buses." Experts said that under the central govt guidelines, state should have taken the initiative to issue licences to app-based buses under the aggregator policy. On Friday, a group of experts participated in discussions on how to go ahead with the state's Premium Bus Aggregator policy at a meeting by the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation. Netizens poured their anger against the action on aggregator bus shuttles on social media. "Why are these ministers after public convenience? At least these bus services make pathetic roads, highly congested road journeys bearable," said one post on X. Another post stated: "Citizens ask 'Can we get more BEST buses?' & govt says No; Citizens say 'Ok, we will use pvt buses' & Govt says 'Sorry, not allowed. We will take them off the roads too'. " A netizen posted on X: "Those people who want better service and are ready to pay should get it — that's what Cityflo and other players are giving. Why should govt have a problem? If Ola and Uber cabs can run, why not buses?", while another wrote: "First you cannot provide good public transport buses, and now you do not want to allow anyone offering good bus service to us. This is anti-citizen." — Inputs by Clara Lewis Status: Not Approved HEAD: 11_Mum_SS_Citizens Fume aggregator bus shuttles Byline: None Commuters express anger as government stops unlicensed bus shuttles and uber shuttle shuts down Commuters fume over transport minister's decision to stop bus shuttles operating without licence; Uber Shuttle off platform from today. Minister reiterates action on aggregator buses, cabs, or bikes flouting rules; meets senior transport officials on Friday. Somit Sen & Clara Lewis Mumbai: Hundreds of daily office-goers were angry on Friday, with many criticising on social media, over the transport minister's latest decision to take action against all private aggregator bus shuttles for "operating across MMR without a licence from state govt." Uber's shuttle will completely shut down from Saturday morning, and the impact will be felt on Monday. Minister Pratap Sarnaik also issued an official directive on Friday afternoon that legal action will be taken against private transport businesses, including buses, cars, and bike taxis, if they violated the rules. Those using Cityflo and Uber shuttles for daily commutes to the office and back told this newspaper that if such buses go off roads, it will leave them stranded. "It will deprive citizens of the benefits of travelling comfortably in these premium app-based buses which guarantee confirmed and comfortable reclined seats," said Sandeep Sinha, who takes the Uber shuttle from Thane Viviana Mall to Bandra-Kurla Complex regularly and travels in BharatBenz buses. The issue came up in Vidhan Bhavan on Friday. Raising the issue of aggregator buses in the legislative council on Friday, BJP MLC Niranjan Davkhare said the Cityflo buses were a boon for office-goers and should not be banned. "Take action against them if there are any violations but do not ban them," he said. Vashi resident Shweta Desai, a Cityflo user, said, "Cityflo is a superhit with commuters travelling the north-south corridor of the city or from Mumbai to Thane/Navi Mumbai. It has led to ease of commuting to the office and back, with routes from Vashi to Andheri, Worli, or south Mumbai commercial hubs." Deepa Mukherjee from Mulund said, "I travel comfortably to Goregaon East unlike waiting in a long queue for BEST AC buses. " These bus shuttles connect Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Mumbai to commercial hubs such as BKC and Nariman Point, catering to commuters in over 500 private buses. "It has good suspension, zero standees, reclining seats, charging points, personal AC vents, etc.," said Amit Phadnis, a commuter. Experts said that under Central govt guidelines, the state should have taken the initiative to issue licences to such app-based buses under the Aggregator policy and issue licences. In fact, on Friday, a group of experts participated in discussions on how to go ahead with the Premium Bus Aggregator policy of Maharashtra at a meeting by the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (Mitra). Some of the tweets on X stated: "Why are these ministers after public convenience? At least these bus services make pathetic roads, highly congested road journeys bearable." "Shuttle is a good option (for office-goers), yet the govt is taking the decision to shut down services." "Those people who want better service and are ready to pay should get it -- that's what Cityflo and other players are giving. Why should govt have a problem? If Ola and Uber cabs can run, why not buses?" "First you cannot provide good public transport buses, and now you do not want to allow anyone offering good bus service to us. This is anti-citizen." "Mr Sarnaik, how about investing more in BEST. Looks like you're busy troubling Mumbaikars rather than helping them." "Citizens ask 'Can we get more BEST buses?' & govt says No; Citizens say 'Ok, we will use pvt buses' & Govt says 'Sorry, not allowed. We will take them off the roads too.'" Ends. MSID:: 122390278 413 |
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Transport minister orders crackdown on aggregator buses in Mumbai, and action against RTO officials
Mumbai: State transport minister Pratap Sarnaik on Thursday announced a crackdown on not just Uber Shuttle, but every other aggregator bus operator, including Cityflo, for "not obtaining licence from state govt". He added that stringent action will also be taken against senior RTO officials responsible for "not taking action" against bike taxis and aggregator buses that are illegally operating in the city. "When I enquired with RTO officials, they said they have served notices to the bus aggregators and are awaiting response. But they should conduct raids and penalise them or stop the services," Sarnaik said. "We also need to formulate a policy for bus aggregators if it is of benefit to a larger section of commuters. But allowing illegal operations of app-based buses should be halted. Sources indicated that Uber Shuttle services could be disrupted on Friday, while one source said the 'Uber Shuttle' option could go off the app from Saturday. On Thursday, TOI had reported that many aggregator buses could go off roads fearing RTO action. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai There are over 450 buses operating under Uber Shuttle, Cityflo and other aggregator bus services across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo A source from Cityflo said the firm had applied for a licence a few months back and has been following up with state govt. "Cityflo has also submitted documents to the transport dept for several compliances and is willing to collaborate with govt to provide bus services," the source added. At an event on Tuesday, a senior Uber official had said: "Uber Shuttle has received permission in Delhi and Kolkata, with collaboration from the state govts there. It is a licensed product, responding to significant consumer demand. In Mumbai, a pilot project is underway to gather feedback from consumers and study how the service complements existing infrastructure." Harsh Kotak from Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana said it is unfair to target only Uber Shuttle. There were other app-based aggregator buses, he said, adding that some of the buses operated by him on Uber Shuttle would go off roads from Friday. Another bus operator said that the absence of shuttle buses will be a major disadvantage to office-goers who depend on them in the absence of AC BEST buses on long routes. Sarnaik, who had caught a Rapido bike taxi operating illegally near Mantralaya in south Mumbai last week, said he will accompany RTO officials to crack down on aggregator buses operating without licence.
Mint
10-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Uber shuts down Shuttle bus services in Mumbai and Hyderabad amid low ridership
Uber has shut down its Shuttle bus services in Mumbai and Hyderabad, prompted by low ridership and steep operational costs, people familiar with the development told Mint. Meanwhile, the ride-hailing giant will continue to operate its Shuttle services as usual in Delhi and Kolkata. The shutdown affects 250-300 buses in Mumbai and 150-200 in Hyderabad, the people cited earlier said, requesting anonymity. 'In Mumbai alone, around 250-300 buses are off the road. Hyderabad will see 150-200 impacted," a Mumbai-based bus fleet operator said, adding that Uber had recently informed them about the shutdown. Uber confirmed the development to Mint. 'Cityflo might absorb some of the demand, as Uber was operating on around 200-odd routes across Mumbai and Hyderabad— similar to Cityflo," said a second person directly aware of the matter. In comparison, Mumbai-based Cityflo runs 450 buses in the city. Cityflo began its Delhi operations in March this year. Cityflo operates air-conditioned buses in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi for office commute. Around the same time, Uber launched its Shuttle service in Hyderabad only to shut it down within a few months. Meanwhile, Uber has doubled down on Delhi-NCR. In January, Uber began offering unlimited free Shuttle rides between Delhi and Gurugram, valid until 1 February 2025, according to a company press release. As of December 2024, Uber Shuttle was operating on about 300 routes in Delhi. Uber Shuttle services were launched in Mumbai in September 2021, shutting down less than four years later. At the time, the company had stated the service would remove 'the stress and time suck of traffic jams and the cost and hassle of finding a parking by making it easy for people to give up their cars, the service can reduce congestion, pollution and emissions in our cities." 'Low ridership and high operational costs appear to be the primary reasons behind the shutdown," said a mobility industry analyst, requesting anonymity. 'Uber was heavily discounting rides, but each trip needs at least 50-60% seat occupancy just to break even—and that's hard to sustain without consistent demand." Previously, Amazon-backed Shuttl ceased operations in June 2021, ahead of its acquisition by Chalo. Ola Shuttle was officially shut down on 3 February 2018, after scaling down in several cities including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad. ZipGo suspended operations in February 2019, initially pulling out of Bengaluru and Mumbai before winding down the operations elsewhere.
