How gogoBus focuses on democratising access to technology

gogoBus, a Gurugram-based TAAS inter-city branded bus platform focused on democratizing access to technology for fleet owners and customers in India.

The intercity bus market in India is a whopping $20 bn in size and is growing faster than ever. Today more than 400k buses are not only helping more than 15mn Indians daily to reach their destinations but also providing livelihood to millions of unemployed youth of India. Although the market is big this sector, due to its highly fragmented nature and lack of access to end-to-end connected technology is struggling. gogoBus is building its kind TAAS platform to help fleet owners with its connected app ecosystem coupled with real-time data insights to manage their daily operations seamlessly and maximise revenue while ensuring the right consumer experience always.

The smart bus platform of gogoBus is determined to provide a highly differentiated customer experience and to build one of the most trusted and loved bus travel brands in India. The plan of providing a reliable, clean, safe, and smart alternative to existing unreliable private operators in India is backed by a team of mobility enthusiasts from different walks of the travel industry.

At CIOL, Amit Gupta, co-founder, and CEO of gogoBus has shared his views on Unlocking the next stage of intercity bus travel with the help of technology and how they are focusing on democratizing access to technology for fleet owners and customers in India.  

Can you please explain what gogoBus is all about?

gogoBus is a TAAS-based mobility platform which is empowering small and medium-sized bus operators with inclusive access to end-to-end technology. Our platform is made on a sensible and intelligent route engine, which suggests the optimum route based on demographic profile, alternate mobility options, and frequency.

We are on a mission to empower India’s bus mobility network through technology.

What are the services that gogoBus is providing?

We have a network of apps to enable each stakeholder of the bus mobility ecosystem while connecting consumers directly with bus operators & drivers. In simple terms, gogoBus TAAS (SAAS for Transportation) platform works both on-demand and supply-side of the bus mobility ecosystem, where it helps to –

• Consumers to reach their respective destinations reliably and safely, on the one hand
• Reduce Bus operator’s fleet unoptimized routes and stoppages, while maximizing trip revenue through intelligent pricing on the other hand

What are your further plans and how are you going to expand your startup?

Buses are the most climate-friendly and sustainable public transport options as compared to private vehicles. We at gogoBus are currently working with private bus operators and academia. We are open to working with government bodies and State Transport Undertaking (STUs) in the future.

To date, 300+ buses on our platform have covered 15+ million km in the last 12 months while generating Carbon footprints saving 1,500+ metric tonnes.

Plans to expand our network across India to 10,000+ buses in the next 3-4 years are already in place while continuing to work with each and every stakeholder of the bus mobility value chain.

What sets you apart from your competitors?

gogoBus platform works in a two-way marketplace model, which is solving mobility challenges on both the demand and supply sides through AI-based technology solutions. Our platform complements existing technology solutions available in the market, which largely differentiates us.

The pandemic has affected the mobility industry heavily. Where does gogoBus stand today?

Indeed the pandemic has adversely impacted the entire mobility industry. One such example was when all of a sudden demand came down to Zero. Bus operators who were having lots of assets on their books started facing significant pressure from financing companies, banks, and even their employees. The dilemma was whether to hold on to those assets or liquidate them at throw-away prices as the future was very uncertain then.

gogoBus also started its operations in January 2020 just before the pandemic struck the country when everything came to a grinding halt.

And at that point in time, not only us but the entire bus mobility industry was struggling with demand and specifically to find answers to questions like –

• Which routes to operate?
• How to maintain optimum pricing?
• What should be the strategy going forward?

It was at that point of time; we pivoted our model from being a full-stack operation service company to becoming a data-backed TAAS mobility platform. We survived a difficult phase and emerged stronger.

At present we are not only enabling 70+ operators to run their 300+ buses efficiently but also assisting their 500+ driver-partners to lead their life respectfully via our platform. And since the launch of the TAAS platform in July 2021, we have grown 32X in terms of revenue.

Five unique things about your startup that people should know?

• Single platform interface for all your bus travel needs
• Simple User Interface
• Live Tracking
• Best prices
• Optimum asset utilization for operators

What advice would you like to give the younger generation who are coming into the tech industry?

As Elon Musk once said, “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor”.

The bus mobility industry in India still operates on a traditional legacy system with very limited digitalization.  At gogoBus, we realized the power of technology from the beginning, and today in the post-Covid scenario the criticality of the connected end-to-end tech ecosystem has been enhanced multifold.

India is the land of masses and opportunities, and this is what we would like to share with young folks if you believe in any idea which can bring a change in the life of the masses, create better career opportunities, or maybe even improve their daily living. Believe in yourself and Just Do it.