In an inspiring twist of fate, a Bengaluru cab driver, Lokesh, has shifted gears from navigating city streets to steering his own tech venture.
Defying the norms, Lokesh has launched Nano Travels, a ride-sharing app, directly challenging the giants of the industry, Uber and Ola. The bold move, which netizens are praising, not only highlights the entrepreneurial spirit thriving in India’s Silicon Valley but also underscores the changing dynamics in the urban transportation sector.
Lokesh’s journey from a cab driver to an app developer is a narrative of determination and innovation. He began marketing his app, Nano Travels, to his Uber passengers, a strategy that quickly caught the attention of social media.
Notably, He managed to onboard over 600 drivers and has made a significant entry into the competitive ride-sharing market of Bengaluru.
Netizens reactions
The story of Lokesh’s entrepreneurial venture gained momentum when “The Bengaluru Man,” a social media user, shared his encounter with Lokesh. The post went viral, amassing thousands of views and sparking widespread interest.
“Peak Bengaluru: Mr Lokesh my uber cab driver informed me that he has launched his own app to compete with uber and ola and already has more than 600 drivers on his app. Moreover, today they launched their IOS version for apple too,” the user wrote in a tweet.
Peak Bengaluru: Mr Lokesh my uber cab driver informed me that he has launched his own app to compete with uber and ola and already has more than 600 drivers on his app.
Moreover, today they launched their IOS version for apple too. #Bengaluru #peakbengaluru@peakbengaluru pic.twitter.com/IGdiWItPG4
— The Bengaluru Man (@BetterBengaluro) December 20, 2023
The public’s reaction has been a mix of admiration for Lokesh’s initiative and skepticism about the app’s future in a market dominated by established players.
“Haha, good way to drive uber and market his own app. Won’t survive though. Enterprising is cool but its not when its just an app,” a user wrote.
“This is real entrepreneurship. Hope it does well,” another wrote.
Addressing the commute crisis in Bengaluru
Nano Travels emerges at a time when Bengaluru, infamous for its traffic woes, is desperately seeking efficient transportation solutions. The city’s drivers and commuters have been vocal about their struggles with high operational costs and unsatisfactory conditions under existing ride-hailing services.
Lokesh’s app is seen as a beacon of hope, potentially easing the commute challenges that plague the city. It’s worth mentioning that not everytime apps like Uber and Ola offer commuters a convenient and efficient means of travel. The prices soar high and the wait time sometimes gets too long.
On the other hand, Nano Travels don’t have surge charges, according to the user who shared the post.
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