Namma Yatri aims to change the transportation space with a zero-commission approach.
News Mania Desk / Piyal Chatterjee / 21st December 2024
Namma Yatri, a zero-commission mobility app on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), claims it is revolutionizing the ride-hailing market and spurring industry adoption. By allowing drivers to keep 100% of their earnings and providing reasonable trips, the company claims to have established a paradigm for equitable and sustainable mobility that prioritizes people before profits. Namma Yatri claims that it has created over Rs 1,100 crore in driver revenues, boosting their financial security and livelihoods.
According to a recent ONDC white paper, open-network apps such as Namma Yatri have the potential to produce Rs 3 lakh crore in economic effect over five years. The open network method is expected to increase yearly economic activity by Rs 51,000 crore to Rs 67,000 crore by saving drivers Rs 20,000 crore per year through its zero-commission model. This concept might potentially raise goods and services tax (GST) collections by Rs 1,000 crore each year through increased local family spending.
“Namma Yatri showcases the transformative potential of decentralised, P2P models on open networks. This could be the UPI moment for mobility—empowering drivers, lowering costs for customers, and setting a blueprint for India to lead in digital innovation and inclusion,” said Pramod Verma, chief architect of Aadhaar and UPI.
Namma Yatri said its adoption of ONDC’s principles of decentralisation, openness, unbundling, and interoperability creates an inclusive and equitable digital marketplace. For 34-year-old Salman Khan from Bengaluru, Namma Yatri has been transformative. “Before Namma Yatri, most of my earnings went in commissions. Now, I’ve cleared my debts, started saving, and sent my kids to a good school. It has given us hope for a brighter future,” he said
This driver-centered strategy is key to Namma Yatri’s purpose of boosting livelihoods and making a significant difference. Namma Yatri is expanding its strategy throughout states through partnerships with local governments and communities. It is investing in public transportation integration to provide smooth multimodal travel. The goal of driver welfare initiatives such as the Mahila Shakti program for female EV drivers, low-cost lending, regular savings programs, and social security plan integration is to empower drivers and enhance their lives.
“Our vision goes beyond mobility—it’s about building a movement that uplifts drivers, strengthens local economies, and delivers exceptional value to customers,” said Shan M S from Namma Yatri. “By scaling the zero-commission model on an open network and integrating public transport, we aim to create a future-ready and inclusive mobility ecosystem that benefits everyone.”
The business stated that this method is consistent with the government’s Digital India and Viksit Bharat visions, which aim to build a mobility system that benefits both drivers and passengers while supporting long-term economic growth. To far, the firm claims that drivers have performed over 7 million journeys, earning more than Rs 1,100 crore without commissions. Namma Yatri has about 5 lakh registered drivers and over 1 crore registered riders. The firm also intends to expand its services by launching in five to six more cities over the following quarter.
