In FY21, a total of 13,435 kilometers of new highways were built, increasing the total length of countrywide roadways to at minimum one.32 million kilometers, with the authorities promising that In the following four years, another 1 million kilometers will be produced. However, the most popular and low-cost means of road transportation, IntrCity SmartBus, has not improved as a result.
“In 2019, I met someone who was adamant about not letting his sister go on a [long] bus holiday,” said Kapil Is, cofounder of IntrCity.
Since 2014, industry veteran Raizada has collaborated with IntrCity founder and CEO Manish Rathi to establish RailYatri, a train and bus fare reservation platform. The two noticed a notable lack of improvement in public bus operations and infrastructure at this time. Even when buses were operating at 65 percent capacity, the company had notified Inc42 that individuals preferred to e-book education tickets on the ready list.
According to Raizada, approximately 29% of female visitors bought rail tickets on the RailYatri site in 2019, but that number dipped to a pitiful 9% when it came to male tourists. bus pricing ticket booking. When compared to other means of public transit, the insight into what is harming the ecosystem became clear—a large deficit in reliability, safety, and comfort. He also believed that the story should change at the same time and that the quality of the products should be the main attraction, independent of ticket prices.
Although there were many private bus companies and aggregators operating at the time, only a handful had the comprehensive vision of Raizada and Rathi. So, in early 2019, the duo took the plunge and established IntrCity SmartBus on the Delhi-Lucknow-Delhi route to provide a platform for bus owners/operators and build a never-before commuter experience.
IntrCity SmartBus Construction
The RailYatri program was built using Intelligence prediction algorithms to look into train sticker price reserving tendencies and assist users in purchasing confirmed tickets. It also used data analytics to deliver unique information on train journeys, such as the direction, travel time, and live reputation, which indicates the train’s current location.
The company felt confident about entering the industry because it could combine valuable data from intercity travel with the ability to build large tech-based platforms. The goal was to create a RailYatri-like centralized device to connect long-distance buses and provide a standardized journey experience.
intercity SmartBus has adopted an asset-light aggregator model, in which it offers the technological platform for creating the journey experience while bus owners/operators handle on-ground operations. The company has formed a new engineering team, which includes local managers for managing in unique cities and a captain and a driver heading a bus group, in addition to expanding its original tech staff for greater development. ears.
It also employs IoT fleet analytics to put in place a network of “connected buses” for seamless, on-the-go tracking and smooth operations. IoT fleet analytics enables real-time vehicle monitoring and analysis for optimal performance.
Today, the agency boasts a network of 220+ branded buses linking more than 270 locations and a devoted staff of 2 hundred employees. This bus company belongs to the mass category, with a ticket size of INR 900 as the median price. The company claims that its website has 160K monthly visitors and has an annual fill rate of 88-90%.
The ‘Smart’ Bus’s Three Pillars
By maintaining in touch with each stakeholder, IntrCity SmartBus creates a comprehensive experience throughout its whole bus fleet and for every adventure. Its services are divided into three categories: dependability, safety, and convenience, highlighting the areas where it wants to improve.
Reliability:
While online ticketing has largely set bus scheduling and departure points, in-transit preparation and driving times remain unstandardized. IntrCity SmartBus has a live-monitoring feature that allows passengers, their relatives, and friends to enter their PNR/price ticket number to see the car’s current location and standing before and during the journey. Passengers can also check out the scheduled stops on pre-planned routes.
The 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week command center employs fleet analytics data for real-time tracking and guarantees that all buses follow pre-determined itineraries and take remedial action as needed.
Safety:
IntrCity also recognizes the importance of improving security parameters. The employer has created a massive command center to monitor and control each bus adventure to achieve this. Connected to the command center are the bus’s engine results, the team app, and the buyer app.
In the wake of the disease, the company has stepped up its efforts to clean. Before leaving on its route, each bus is cleaned, and the ‘cleaning’ is logged on the client app to improve trust. The in-bus staff dons protective gear and performs a thermal scan before resuming their jobs. Travelers are also inspected and given a hygiene kit that includes a sanitizer and disinfecting wet wipes.
Raizada told Inc42 that as a result of these safety precautions, the ratio of female guests ordering tickets on the platform has increased from 9% in 2019 to 25% in 2021.
Convenience:
For long-distance interstate travel, convenience and luxury are very important.IntrCity SmartBus provides a variety of services. Passengers can wait for the bus and join it properly in one of the company’s 51 boarding lounges. All of these lounges provide air conditioning and free Wi-Fi.
Is the Renovation Long-Term?
IntrCity says that the general public transportation environment will only get better if the whole thing is remodeled. Passengers who are accustomed to being driven into a reduced, low-quality carrier environment appear to like the adjustments it has made to the location of transportation services. In FY22, the company intends to generate an ARR of $45 million, reflecting a 400% increase year over year.
It also intends to expand its inventory to 5,000 automobiles by 2025, as well as introduce new routes and sites.
Despite a rocky start, India’s bus carrier industry has continued to thrive. According to a Statista report, more than 95.5% of people traveled by bus in 2020, and this number is expected to rise to 120 million by 2026. Experts agree that this phase is ready for expansion, given India’s burgeoning toll road segment and widespread street improvement. Even though the market size declined to $385 million in 2020 as a result of the pandemic (it was worth $944 million in 2019), it is predicted to improve and grow to $1.03 billion by 2023. The company also told Inc42 that the segment’s overall market size may be as high as $26 billion.
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