My Ride With UberMoto: Never Thought Bike Taxis Can be Fun & Safe

UberMoto is Uber’s bike taxi service in India, available in select cities with fare of Rs 3 per km.

UberMoto in the capital region is an effective mode of travel. 

(Photo: The Quint)

UberMoto, booking a bike taxi isn’t the safest option (bike riding in India can never be), but I still decided to give it a shot, especially when the service is available in Delhi’s neighbouring cities.

Compared to cabs, bike taxis do appeal to consumers who’re looking for cost-effective travel options. And, India is predominantly a bike-centric market (Hero and Bajaj will vouch for that). So, we decided to explore, how UberMoto fares in comparison to regular cab service and how it works.

Hail a Bike

UberMoto wasn’t my first choice for mode of travel on a weekend. But considering my short distance requirement, and time factor, it turned out to be the best option.

You open the Uber app, select the UberMoto option (only available in select cities), and wait for the app to assign you a bike taxi. The feature works similar to how you would book a cab, so in terms of usage, you don’t have to go through any learning.

My UberMoto ride is here.  (Photo: The Quint)

UberMoto fare starts from as low as Rs 3/km

The biker showed up in less than 5 minutes, I sat behind him and we started our journey. These bike taxis come with an extra helmet for the pillion, which ensures safety for the commuter on the Uber Moto.

This is how UberMoto shows up. (Photo Courtesy: Uber screen grab)

This is a bike, so make sure you’re not carrying excessive luggage and most importantly, no triple riding allowed on this bike.

Starting the Ride

Signing up for a ride on UberMoto got me a TVS Star City – a 110-cc commuter bike with sufficient capability to take me through a distance of 3-4 km without any hiccups. The overall condition of the bike was healthy, with proper functioning brakes, and well maintained by the rider.

UberMoto caters to a fleet of bikes that also includes Pulsar 150, Hero Achiever and Bajaj Discover among others. 

Sitting behind as a pillion on a bike, not my favourite position. (Photo: The Quint)

In a nutshell, I couldn’t complain much about the ride, especially for the price I was paying, which helped me reach my destination sooner than I would have with any other mode of travel.

Knowing My Driver/Rider

Pillion riding isn’t my preferred mode of travel, but my curiosity with my first UberMoto travel made sure that I got to know who I was riding with, and what his background was. Ajay (name changed on request) hails from Bihar, and has been riding a bike for over 20 years.

UberMoto wasn’t his first choice to earn a living, but the downfall of his export business few years back didn’t leave him with an option but to opt for bike taxi via Uber, using his own bike (zero investment).

Ajay gets 15-20 riders every day.  (Photo: The Quint)

Bike taxi in India has failed to appeal to riders till date, but Ajay claims to get 15-20 riders every day, earning him up to Rs 12,000 every month. 

Other than Uber, Baxi is the only recognised name in the bike taxi segment in the capital region, but Ajay realised that opting for UberMoto (and earn some money) was always going to be a better option to earn a livelihood.

The fact that he even asked me to refer him to any job prospect, suggests, UberMoto isn’t a long-term viable mode of earning livelihood, just yet. 

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