SmartRide service in Gurgaon will improve commuting for office-goers

01 February, 2013

After looking at the current problems being faced by the commuters coming to Gurgaon from Dwarka, the CEO of Wise Travel India Pvt Ltd Ashok Vashist started the second phase of Smart Ride. Vashist told this citizen journalist that this service will ease and bring comfort to the corporate commuters who have to struggle hard in congested small private and public buses.

SmartRide is an initiative by Vashist and supported by DLF and CyberCity Welfare Society to help decongest Gurgaon by creating shared transport services connecting the city to office hubs. SmartRide also aims to provide comfortable, safe and reliable services, leveraging the best available technology and green transport. In an exclusive interview with this citizen journalist Mr Ashok Vashist shared how he has envisioned the secure and safe public transport scenario for corporate commuters.

What was the motive behind starting 'SmartRide'?

We aim to provide comfortable, safe and reliable services, leveraging the best available technology and green transport. SmartRide as a concept was launched in November 2010, and was inaugurated by Sh. R.K. Khullar – IAS, the then commissioner of Gurgaon Municipal Corporation along with other dignitaries from the Gurgaon Administration and Industry. Sh. Alok Mittal, IPS, the then Joint Commissioner of Gurgaon Police, Sh Ramesh Sanka, MD DLF. Sh. S.S. Deswal, IPS the then commissioner of Gurgaon Police, had flagged off the 10,000th trip of SmartRide in July 2011 - within 6 months from the start of operations.

Since November 2010 what kind of response have you received from users of this service?

It's been very encouraging, and more than 4000 people use our services every day.

Why did you chose only the Dwarka-Gurgaon route? What about many other locations and routes in Delhi, Noida, and Gaziabad?

This is just the start. We aim to expand our services at a much faster pace. The idea of SmartRides was generated to provide cost savings to customers while following the best standards of safety and professionalism. The service will have prominently marked bus stops with flexibility for members with Monthly Pass/ Flexi Coupon System to board any bus. With high frequency the busses are already fitted with GPS Tracking Devices, RFID and Web Cameras.

Who all can use the SmartRide bus service? Can any oneone board or does one require to be a corporate commuter?

This service is primarily meant for corporate customers. However, any one getting in will have to show their identification card. We promote monthly ridership and that's why a monthly pass is very economical compared to the daily ride ticket. For corporate employees of any company the bus service will drop customers near the gate of the offices for convenience of the employees.

What are the charges for the service?

They will vary depending on the passes that an individual wants to take. People can call our 24 hour helpline +911140131313 for details any time.

Your run the buses to DLF or Udhyog Vihar but what about people working in old Gurgaon or Palam Vihar?

This is just a start. We will expand the services in due course of times. We are also talking to various authorities and companies for tie ups to expand the scope and services.