Designing The User Experience

Of Auto-rickshaw Commuters
In Mumbai City

Jesal Chitalia
NSCAD University
Masters of Design
2018
Designing The User Experience
Of Auto-Rickshaw Commuters
In Mumbai City

By Jesal Chitalia

This thesis is submitted to The School of Graduate Studies

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for The Master of
Design Degree.

Approved By :

Dr. Rudi Meyer

(Director, Master of Design Program)

Professor Michael LeBlanc

(Division of Design)
Designing The User Experience
Of Auto-Rickshaw Commuters
In Mumbai City

Thesis project based on the Auto Rickshaw transit system

in Mumbai, India.

A thesis project presented to The School of Graduate Studies -

Nova Scotia College of Art & Design in partial fulfillment of the
Requirements for The Master of Design Degree Program.

By Jesal Chitalia

NSCAD University,
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada
April 2018
 This thesis focuses on auto rickshaw transport in Mumbai city and the challenges faced
by its users. Auto rickshaws have survived in the country since the era of the British; they
are small three-wheeled vehicles which serve as a paratransit system in Mumbai city and
are used by the majority of city commuters. The basis for this research initially stemmed
from my passion for designing for the society and improvising the current systems. As
the world moves further into the digital age, generating innovative technology and digital-
born content, there is a significant demand and need in India for this transition from the
manual to the technological.

The project has been undertaken as a requirement for the NSCAD Masters of Design
program. My research was formulated together with my respectful mentor, Dr. Rudi
Meyer. The study was challenging, but conducting extensive investigation has allowed
me to identify the major hurdles and research questions. Fortunately, both Prof. Michael
LeBlanc and Prof. Christopher Kaltenbach were always available and willing to guide me
throughout my project.

PREFACE
I would like to thank my professors for their excellent guidance and support during this
process. I also wish to thank all of the respondents, without whose cooperation I would
not have been able to conduct this analysis.

To my other colleagues at NSCAD University.: I would like to thank you for your excellent
cooperation and critics. It was always helpful to bat ideas about my research around
with you. I also benefited from debating issues with my friends and family. If I ever lost
interest, you kept me motivated. My parents deserve a particular note of thanks: your
wise counsel and kind words have, as always, served me well.

I hope you enjoy your reading.

Jesal Chitalia
(UI/UX Designer)
 Since the development of auto-rickshaws in India
in the late 1950s, these vehicles have become an
indispensable part of urban mobility for millions of
people. Auto rickshaws play a vital and vigorous role in
India’s urban transport systems. They also represent a

ABSTRACT
very improvisational and increasingly inefficient sector
– and they are getting lost in the changing dynamics
of urban mobility in India. Today, with increasing
urban populations, there is growth in demand for
urban transport, growth in private motorization and
a decline in public transport share. How do auto
rickshaws fit in and have a role that is efficient – for
both the operators and their passengers? And how can
this mode of paratransit contribute to urban transport
sustainability – through both increasing efficiency and
safety for everyone on the roads?
 CONTENTS

Introduction 16

Theoretical Framework 18
Background 19
About Mumbai City 21
Auto Rickshaws in Mumbai 30
Market Characteristics 36
Operational Characteristics 39
Auto Rickshaw Drivers & Users 40

Current Challenges 44

TABLE OF Problems faced by Drivers

Problems faced by Passengers
45
48

CONTENT
Research Design 58

Methodology 60

Research Process 68

Design Iteration 71

Application Concept 76

User Interface Design 96

Application Design Prototype 114

Conclusion 116
Copyright © 2017 by Jesal Chitalia
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not
be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the References 118
express written permission of the publisher except for the use of
brief quotations in a book review. Images in this book are taken
from various sources.
Design & illustrations are created by Jesal Chitalia
LIST OF FIGURES

Fig. 1 Map of Mumbai city 23

Fig. 2 Road way map of Mumbai city 29
Fig. 3 Auto Rickshaw fare chart by Ridlr 35
Fig. 4 Age profile of Auto drivers 40
Fig. 5 Outline of UX Design 63
Fig. 6 Mindmap of Auto Rickshaws in Mumbai 64
Fig. 7 Illustration sketch of Thesis problem 65
Fig. 8 Infographic of Thesis overview 67
Fig. 9 Flow Diagram - New users using the App 73
Fig. 10 Flow Diagram - Existing users using the App 74
Fig. 11 Rough Sketch - App process iteration 1 77
Fig. 12 Rough Sketch - App process iteration 2 78
Fig. 13 LFW - Application Landing Page 81
Fig. 14 LFW - On Boarding Process 82
Fig. 15 LFW - Application Features 84
Fig. 16 LFW - Application Features 86
Fig. 17 HFW - App Loading Page 89
Fig. 18 HFW - App On Boarding Process 90
Fig. 19 HFW - App Features 92
 TERMS & DEFINITIONS

NMT - Non Motorized Transport

ASI - Avoid Shift Improve

MCGM - Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai

IT - Information Technology

ITES - Information Technology Enabled Services

MMR - Mumbai Metropolitan Region

LFW - Low Fidelity Wireframe

GLOSSARY HFW - High Fidelity Wireframe

 Urbanization is on the rise throughout the world, and there is no better example of this
than Mumbai. Forty percent of the population in India lives in cities, a number increasing
rapidly due to economic migration from rural areas. This movement places immense stress
on the Mumbai infrastructure that is invariably catching up with this burgeoning growth. In
particular, urban transportation is in tremendous demand as new and old residents need
ways to get to jobs, often living far away where housing is more affordable. Mumbai, as a
city of over 22 million people, is no exception and has severe transportation challenges.
In addition to private transport and mass transit (local trains, Metro, Monorail and BEST
Buses), there is a third form of transportation — standard public transport in the form of
auto-rickshaws that serve an essential role in the para-transit system of the city.

Auto-rickshaws provide door-to-door service and act as a feeder source to public transit,
with eleven percent of railway commuters using rickshaws to access the stations. While
auto-rickshaws serve an integral transport role to residents of Mumbai, there are still
problems with the current system, from the perspective of passengers, drivers, and the
government (Thomas, D. G. (2013).

INTRODUCTION The goal of this study is to better understand the role of auto-rickshaws in Mumbai’s
transport system and the distinct challenges and opportunities that the sector presents
in promoting a sustainable transport method for Mumbai. In particular, the focus of the
study is on auto-rickshaws that provide a taxi service and the share auto-rickshaws that
provide fixed route easy public transport at some locations in Mumbai.

I aim to answer some of the following questions: How is the auto-rickshaw industry in
Mumbai part of a sustainable urban transport system? How can auto-rickshaws provide
comparable mobility to that of a private vehicle? How do auto-rickshaws benefit residents
and drivers? What are areas for improvement from the driver, user, and environmental
perspectives? How do auto rickshaws fit in and have a role that is efficient – for both the
operators and their passengers? And how can this mode of paratransit contribute to urban
transport sustainability – through both increasing efficiency and safety for everyone on
the roads?

This study of auto-rickshaws assumes that both sustainable urban transport and
sustainable livelihoods are desirable in the future of Indian cities, in particular,
Mumbai. Sustainable urban transport aims to reduce reliance on automobiles and their
corresponding problems of traffic congestion, air pollution (emissions) and road fatalities
in favor of alternate forms of transport (such as non-motorized transport (NMT) and
public transport) that allow the same degree of mobility.

Page. 17
 BACKGROUND

A recent publication by EMBARQ India, highlights the role that auto-

rickshaws can play in Indian cities in promoting sustainable urban
transport, as part of the Avoid-Shift-Improve (ASI) framework. The
Bhat, A’s.(2012) study shows that auto-rickshaws can help catalyze
the shift from private vehicles to more sustainable transport modes,
by i) providing access to public transport systems such as buses,
railway, Metro-rail and Mono-rail, and ii) serving as an alternative
to private vehicles for more occasional trips requiring on-demand,
door-to-door connectivity.

Sustainable livelihoods are those that contribute to better living

conditions and an improvement of assets to help vulnerable
populations withstand shocks and stresses to the system. The
Sustainable Livelihoods Approach considers access to five holdings

THEORETICAL as crucial to being able to make a living:

• Social including networks, relationships, leadership;

F R A M E WO R K
• Human such as knowledge, health, and education;
• Natural including access to potable water, land, and nature;
• Physical such as infrastructure and technology;
• Financial such as access to monetary income, credit, and
pension.

These studies highlight the role that auto-rickshaws can play in

promoting sustainable urban transport and sustainable livelihoods.
This study sets out to explore how Mumbai’s auto-rickshaws fit
into a viable public transport system and whether they can provide
sustainable livelihoods to their drivers.

The study is based on a ground-level assessment of the sector and

its role, with the aim of understanding several potential challenges
that it faces. Up to this point, there has been a comprehensive
study of the auto-rickshaw sector in Mumbai. Auto-rickshaws have
been studied in other Indian cities, and transport studies have been
done in Mumbai, but never has one solely focused on exploring all
the aspects of Mumbai’s auto-rickshaw sector and how it can be
made more efficient.

Page. 19
 LITERATURE REVIEW
Mumbai
Understanding the thematic area : City
• Area & Demographics
• Sex-Ratio
Mumbai Profile • Socio-Economics
• Traffic & Congestion
• Auto-Rickshaw Transport

• Auto-rickshaw Permits & Regulations

Regulations • Fares

Market • Market Size & Age

Characteristics • Engine and fuel characteristics

Operational • Locations of Demand

Characteristics • Daily trip characteristics Mumbai  formerly known as  Bombay,  (the Mumbai was created on seven distinct
official name until 1995) is the  capital islands and has grown upward and outward
Profile of Auto- • Auto drivers age profile
city  of the  Indian state  of  Maharashtra. It since then. Greater Mumbai comprises
Rickshaw Drivers • Where are they coming from? is the  most populous city in India  with an Mumbai City (the Island City) south of
estimated city population of 22  million. Mahim Bay and Suburban Mumbai stretching
• Age profile
Along with the neighboring regions of north to Dahisar and east to Thane Creek.
• Gender profile the  Mumbai Metropolitan Region, it is the The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR)
• Income profile second most populous  metropolitan area also includes the areas of Thane, Navi
Profile of Auto- • Usage of Auto-rickshaws by Time-of-day
in India. In 2008, Mumbai was named Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivali, Vasai-Virar,
rickshaw users • Trip purpose
an alpha world city. It is also the wealthiest Mira-Bhayandar, Bhiwandi-Nizampur, and
• Frequency of Usage
• Infrastructure city in India and has the highest number Ulhasnagar (Wikipedia, 2017)
• Sites of demand
of  millionaires  and  billionaires  among all
cities in India. Its location is prime owing to
• Driver proximity to the coast and is considered to
Current Challenges • Passengers
be the financial capital of India and home to
• Government
the Bollywood film industry.

Page. 20 Page. 21
 Area & Demographics
According to the  2016 census, the
population of Mumbai city was 22,000,000.
The population density is estimated to
be about 20,482 persons per square
kilometer. The living space is 4.5 square
meters per person. Mumbai Metropolitan
Region was home to 20,748,395 people by
2011. Greater Mumbai, the area under the
administration of the MCGM, has a literacy
rate of 94.7%, higher than the national
average of 86.7%. The number of slum-
dwellers is estimated to be 9 million, up
from 6 million in 2001;  that is, 62% of all
Mumbaikars live in informal slums. Mumbai
suffers from the same major urbanization
problems seen in many fast growing cities
in developing countries: widespread poverty
and unemployment, poor public health and
poor civic and educational standards for a
large section of the population.
Page. 22
With available land at a premium, Mumbai
residents often reside in cramped,
relatively expensive housing, usually far
from workplaces, and therefore requiring
long commutes on crowded mass transit
or clogged roadways. Many of them live in
proximity to bus or train stations although
suburban residents spend significant
time traveling southward to the central
commercial district. Dharavi, Asia’s second
largest  slum  is located in central Mumbai
and houses between 800,000 and one
million people in 2.39 square kilometers
(0.92  sq  mi), making it one of the most
densely populated areas on Earth with
a population density of at least 334,728
persons per square kilometer.
Figure. 1
Map of Mumbai City
Page. 23
 Sex Ratio :

Just over 50 percent of residents are male,

with a sex ratio of 852 females for every
1000 males. The literacy rate for persons
above seven years of age is 90.28 percent
(Bhat, A. 2012).

Socio-Economics :

Mumbai is a center/hub for financial

services, information technology (IT),
information technology enabled services
(ITES), media, entertainment, hospitality,
and tourism. While much of industry is still
concentrated in Mumbai City, there has
been a push to expand business locales
to other areas so that pressure on the
transport sector will be better distributed.
To this end, there has been a concerted
effort since the mid-1990’s to shift or
expand the financial district to the Bandra
Kurla Complex in the Suburbs. Andheri-
Kurla Road in the north has also become a
center for IT and ITES (Subbarao, S., & Rao,
K. 2014).

Page. 24
Traffic & congestion :

Public transport in Mumbai  involves the

transport of millions of its citizens by train,
road, and water. Over 88% of the commuters
in Mumbai use public transport. Mumbai has
the largest organized bus transport network
among major Indian cities. Mumbai’s public
transportation consists primarily of  rapid
transit  on exclusive suburban railway lines
augmented by  commuter rail  on main lines
serving outlying suburbs, the bus services
of the three municipalities making up the
metropolitan area, public  taxis  and  auto-
rickshaws, as well as ferry services. A metro
and a monorail system have recently been
inaugurated. A commercial Seaplane Service
has recently been introduced (Wikipedia,
2016).

There is no scarcity of transportation

options in Mumbai. A thick network of roads
encompasses the city as well as three train
lines, one metro line, one mono-rail line,
buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws. Auto-
rickshaws, by law, are relegated to Suburban
Mumbai, with Bandra and Sion being the
southernmost neighborhoods where auto-
rickshaws can ply, while the northern
boundaries of operation are the limits of the
Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

Page. 27
 The road network runs mostly north to
south with smaller roads connecting along
the east and west. There are three major
highways: the Western Express Highway,
the Eastern Express Highway and the
Sion-Panvel Highway. According to a Road
Network Inventory Analysis done in the
CTS, 47 percent of roads in Greater Mumbai
have “good” pavement condition (over
satisfactory or poor). However, there are
many old and narrow streets throughout the
city that suffers from a lack of maintenance
and traffic and parking enforcement.

Ownership of private vehicles in Greater

Mumbai has been on the rise with almost
600,000 private cars and 1.5 million two-
wheelers as of March 2011. In recent years
there has been increased funding for roads
and flyovers. According to Greater Mumbai’s
budget estimates for 2012-13, there is
a capital provision of Rs. 14.7 billion for
roadworks compared to only Rs. 7.1 billion in
2011-12, an increase of 106 percent.

There are three rail lines. The Western and

Central Railways connect Mumbai with areas
around the country, as well as run suburban
and freight trains. The Harbor line is a suburban
train that runs along the east side of Mumbai
City and then splits to the west and east in
the North. The suburban railway operates
2,342 train services and carries more than 7.5
million commuters daily. By annual ridership
(2.64 billion), the Mumbai Suburban Railway
is one of the busiest commuter rail systems in
the world, and it has some of the most severe
overcrowding in the world (Soans, I. 2014). Figure. 2
Road Way - Map of Mumbai City

Page. 28 Page. 29
 Auto-rickshaw’s in Mumbai city

Auto rickshaws are an integral part of Indian

culture. Their design is ideally suited for the
environment due to the vehicle’s small size
and light weight giving the ability to maneuver
through the hectic Indian traffic. In fact, it is
one of the fastest ways of commuting during
rush hour. Unfortunately, the vehicle has seen
few improvements in the last twenty years. The
engine is a small two or four stroke engine with
the maximum power of 4-6kW, depending on
the model. The engine is similar to the ones used
in ATV’s and scooter bikes (Lukic, S. M., Mulhall,
P., Choi, G., Naviwala, M., Nimmagadda, S., &
Emadi, A. 2007).

The three-wheeler provides to the mobility needs

of those not using private transport and not being
served by the existing public transport system. In
this way, they serve the needs of a segment of
the society by acting as cheap taxis. They have
smaller engine capacities and higher mileage
rates than the regular car taxis.

The dominant driving force behind the three-

wheelers is the policymakers who decide various
issues, such as the total number allowable in the
cities and fare policies, etc. There is a general
tendency among policymakers in different Indian
cities to phase out three wheelers which they see
as competition to public transport, air polluters,
slow and unsafe. This informal transport
alternative is not always backed by sufficient data
to counter these claims. Also, the fact that three-
wheelers cater towards mobility of a particular
section of the population(i.e., those not using
private transport or the existing public transport
system) is also ignored while forming the policies
(iTrans, 2009).

Page. 30
 Auto-rickshaw permits Most permit-holders hold onto their permits
& regulations :
According to the Motor Transport Statistics of
Maharashtra 2010-2011, there were 108,715
auto-rickshaws on the road in Greater
Mumbai as of March 2011. The same source
also reports that as of March 2011, there
were 118,477 valid (live) permits in Greater
Mumbai. Recent news reports indicate that
the state government of Maharashtra is
looking to draft a policy document on licenses
in the coming months.
The government is no longer issuing new
permits. Under Section 74, (3)(a) of the
Maharashtra State Motor Vehicles Act of
1998, the state government has the right to
limit the number of contract carriages (which
include auto-rickshaws) with consideration of
the number of vehicles and road conditions.
The State Motor Vehicle Department lists
the fee for an auto-rickshaw permit (metered
motor cab) as Rs. 100. However, because of
the cap on the issue of 17 new permits, the
price of permits has become overinflated.
EMBARQ, India (2012) surveyed 198 drivers
who paid for their permit four drivers paid
Rs. 50 or 100, which is at or below the right
price. Of the others, the amount paid was Rs.
40,000 – 90,000 for a five-year lease with
an average of Rs. 67,908. As per their study,
the majority of permit holders paid between
Rs. 60,000-70,000, which is more than 600
times the fair price. This data thus shows
how current permit policies are impacting
the economics of auto-rickshaw operations
in Mumbai.
Page. 32
Besides, a driver is required by law to submit In 2006, Mumbai passed the Fleet Taxi
or pass them down through the family. their vehicle to an inspection annually to Service Scheme, which allowed private
Because of this, it is difficult and expensive renew their Certificate of Fitness. Vehicles companies to operate fleet taxis with trained
for newcomers to get into the auto-rickshaw must also possess a Pollution Under Control drivers and dispatch services. There has
business. Although it is illegal to use a permit (PUC) test certificate, which is valid for been no similar scheme passed for auto-
that is not under your name, many drivers one year. There are not many conditions rickshaws. Fleet auto-rickshaw schemes
lease permits from permit-holders for a that lead to a permit being revoked from are on the rise around India and there is a
period of 5 to 10 years. Alternately, drivers its owner. In many cases, violations of the need to better understand whether there
pay daily rent to permit-holders, which driver permit conditions have been punished with are benefits to fleet operations in Mumbai
surveys found could be up to Rs. 300 with an a fine. This is now changing. With the rise and if so, how to encourage permit policy
average of approximately Rs 160 daily. of electronic meters in late spring/early reforms to allow these systems.
summer of 2012, there have been several
Section 74, (2) of the Maharashtra State cases of e-meter tampering. To deter other
Motor Vehicles Act of 1998 additionally lists tamperers, permits have been retracted
the following conditions that can be attached from those permit-holders who have been
to any permit for contract-carriages that is caught with tampered meters.
issued:
1. That the vehicle can only ply in a
specified area or on specified route
2. The maximum number of passengers
and weight of luggage
3. The type of goods that can be carried
4. That specified fares or rates of
fares will be charged and the fare
table should be exhibited in the vehicle
5. That a specified weight of passengers’
luggage shall be carried free of charge
and any additional charge will be at
a specified rate
6. That a taximeter shall be fitted on the
vehicle and maintained in proper
working order
7. That specified standards of comfort
and cleanliness are maintained in the
vehicle
8. The plying of the vehicle or carrying
the passengers shall not be refused.
Page. 33
 Auto-rickshaw fare :

Autowalas in Mumbai have all the reasons
to cheer as the recent fare hike has enabled
them to make more money than usual. The
base fare has been increased to Rs.18 for
CNG fitted autos as per a recent mandate
by Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Transport
Authority (MMRTA). It’s not just the base
fare that’s gone up, the subsequent fare
has increased too. You’d pay Rs.12.19 per
km over Rs.11.33 per km (ridlr.in, 2016).
The Hakim Committee fixes the fares of
auto-rickshaws after conducting surveys
and interacting with the auto-rickshaw
unions and the consumer activists. This
committee was constituted in 1996 and is
reconstituted during every fare revision. As
mentioned before, he has been using the
taxi fare formula till date to fix the fares.
(Bhat. A, 2012)
The Mumbai Autorickshawmen’s Union
has demanded that the fares should be
calculated as per the Patankar Committee’s
formula, as they believe the Hakim
Committee’s formula does not take into
account the increase in the cost of living.
They have demanded that the minimum
auto rickshaw fare should be Rs 20 for
2 km, as the 2 km pattern is followed in
most other cities of India such as Delhi
and Bangalore. As one of the reasons
for this hike in fares, they have cited the
significant expenditure incurred by drivers
on idle run looking for passengers and
they have therefore demanded normal and
share auto-rickshaw stands across the city
(EMBARQ, India 2012)

According to an RTO survey, there are

currently around 1,50,000 auto rickshaws
catering to a population of 22 million.
These drivers are represented by a
number of unions, such as the Rickshaw
ChalakMalakSena of the Shiv Sena, the
Mumbai Autorickshawmen’s Union of
Sharad Rao, and the Mumbai Rickshawmen’s
Union ofThampyKurian. The oldest of these
are the Rickshaw ChalakMalakSena which
has around 3,000-4,000 members, and the
Mumbai Autorickshaw men’s Union, with
Figure. 3
around 30,000 members.
Fare Chart - by Ridlr.com

Page. 34 Page. 35
 Market
Characteristics

Market size and age of

auto rickshaw fleet :
As mentioned previously by EMBARQ
there are 150,000 auto-rickshaws plying in
Greater Mumbai. EMBARQ’s Driver surveys
conducted as part of their study found that
vehicles range from 6 months to 15 years
old, with the average age of a vehicle being
5.5 years. Over half the vehicles are less than
5 years old, with only 3 percent of vehicles
more than 10 years old. The recent Hakim
Committee Report emphasized that auto
unions felt that if older vehicles are in “good
condition” and ran on clean fuel, then they
should be allowed to ply. No regulation has
been made in this regard, although there
has been a recent proposal by the State
Transport Authority to fix the maximum age
of auto-rickshaws at 16 years.

Engine and fuel

characteristics :
Vehicles in Greater Mumbai (77.4 percent)
have 2-stroke engines while only 22.6
percent have 4-stroke engines. The 4-stroke
engines, while more expensive to repair, are
less prone to breakdowns and create fewer
emissions. The State government reports
that in Greater Mumbai in 2011, 98 percent of
auto-rickshaws (106,876) ran on compressed
natural gas (CNG) while only 1,839 auto-
rickshaws ran on petrol (Bhat. A,2012).

Page. 36
Operational
Characteristics

Locations of demand :
High demand locations for auto-rickshaw
usage include all train stations on all three
lines and also the metro and monorail transit
system, as auto-rickshaws supplement
walking and bus service as a feeder mode
to suburban rail. Other frequented areas
are hospitals, malls, office buildings and
recreational areas. The top ten locations
are in Andheri, Band Stand (Bandra West)
and the Bandra Kurla Complex, Ghatkopar,
Kurla, Jogeshwari, Borivali, Kandivali, Thane
& many others.

Daily trip characteristics :

According to the survey of EMBARQ,
India(2012), an average driver spends
almost ten hours a day or around 105
kilometers plying their auto-rickshaw.
About 10.4 percent of those kilometers
are without passengers (empty). Drivers
take about 17 trips per day, each lasting an
average of 5.25 kilometers.

Page. 39
 Profile of
Auto-Rickshaw
Drivers
Auto driver’s age profile :
The auto-rickshaw drivers in Mumbai range
in age from 23 to 58, with an average age
of 37.5. Over half the drivers are between
the ages of 30-40 years and another ¼ are
between the ages of 40-50 years. Less than
16% are in the age group of 20-30 years,
showing that Mumbai drivers tend to be
middle-aged and not younger or older men
(Bhat. A, 2012).
Page. 40
Age Profile of Auto-Rickshaw Drivers
52% = 30-40 Years
04% = 50-60 Years
16% = 20-30 Years
28% = 40-50 Years
Figure. 4
Pie chart - Age profile of Auto Drivers
Daily trip
characteristics :
According to the survey of
EMBARQ, India(2012), an
average driver spends almost
ten hours a day or around 105
kilometers plying their auto-
rickshaw. About 10.4 percent
of those kilometers are
without passengers (empty).
Drivers take about 17 trips per
day, each lasting an average
of 5.25 kilometers.
Where are they coming from?
India is undergoing thorough and complete
alterations in demographic patterns as streams
of people migrate to regions which offer better
opportunities than their homes. Much of this
movement is from rural areas to the urban, with
large cities and mega cities tempting people with
the assurance of better lives. Urbanization is
rapidly increasing. Maharashtra comes into the
second category after Tamilnadu. 42.4% of its
population living in urban areas. While migration is
rapidly taking place it is causing lots of problems
because the civic amenities and services are
limited. The mere chance that urbanization with
bottomless living conditions, inferior sanitation,
suffocating transport system, poor health,
education and other social infrastructure and law
& order problems are rapidly growing.
Young semi-educated youth have no interest
in agricultural activities, and they migrate. In
the cities, they work as grocery shop workers,
newspaper sellers, auto, taxi driving, restaurant
and canteen workers, domestic workers, etc. Bad
family conditions due to indebtedness force the
youth to migrate. The large number of children and
increasing needs of food, health and education
expenditure and an aspiration for a better life leads
to migration. Regarding absolute numbers, there
are more than one lakh auto workers in Mumbai.
Among them approximately 95% are migrants. If
we consider their families and dependents, then
this number would be much larger. If this section
does not enjoy a decent standard of living and
is trapped in a vicious circle of poverty and un-
settlement, then development would have a little
meaning for the society. Since Mumbai has high
absorption capacity the migrant working as auto
workers are utilized (Narayan. B, 2010)
Page. 41
 Creating surveys to
design experience for
auto rickshaw users

Sample Questionnaire Outline

User Profile : What is your occupation and age?

Analyzing distance : What distances do you

travel by auto rickshaw?

Usage pattern : How often do you use auto

rickshaws?

Rating the existing system : Rate your auto

rickshaw commuting experience on a scale of
1-5

Issues : What kind of issues have you had in

your auto experience?

Asking about change : Would you still use auto-

rickshaws, if there is a change in policy and
functioning of the system ?

Shared Auto rides : Do you use share rickshaws?

Sites of demand : Would you be willing to use

share rickshaws for more than just railway
station related commutes?

Do you think an auto rickshaw application will

solve the current problems and facilitate ease of
commute ?

Page. 42
 PROBLEMS FACED BY AUTO-DRIVERS

Pollution

Auto rickshaws are a part of the Indian society and are well
suited for the environment. However, they pose a significant
pollution problem due to the inefficient engines. The auto
rickshaw drivers are directly exposed to the air pollutants
being discharged from automobile exhaust. Studies
have concluded that auto rickshaw drivers have a high
respiratory morbidity due to exposure to pollution (Lukic,
S. M., Mulhall, P., Choi, G., Naviwala, M., Nimmagadda, S.,
& Emadi, A. 2007).

Current
Challenges

Page. 45
Health :
Often they are trapped in the vicious circle of
insecurity, unhealthy living conditions and other
reasons. Focusing closely on the problems of
auto-rickshaw workers like other unorganized
sector workers need attention. They suffer from
all major aspects of employment such as the
improper terms and conditions of employment,
lack of job security, earnings, non availability of
social security and medical benefits. This put
them in a very disadvantageous position (Narayan.
B, 2010). Other issues that drivers face are about
health and wellness. Working ten hour shifts, the
drivers are at high risk of exposure for air pollution
caused by vehicles. They also are vulnerable to
back problems from poor suspension and sitting
long hours (Bhat. A, 2012).
Passenger behavior :
Sometimes there is a intrinsic tension between
auto-rickshaw passengers and drivers in
Mumbai. Because of the mechanical meter
system and the perceived amount of tampering
that occurs, there is inherent distrust between
the two parties. Neither knows whether they
are going to have to argue with the other over
the fare when they depart the vehicle. Because
there are so many rickshaws, one experience
(good or bad) has no effect on a subsequent
experience. Drivers are used to being harassed
or not paid correctly. The problems presented
by the auto-rickshaw drivers with the police
as well as passengers tells of distrust. Drivers
(whether errant or otherwise) are often not
recognized for their service. Instead, they
are treated unfavorably by both parties. In
reaction to such harassment, they feel less
accountable towards the public for providing
quality transport service. This ultimately leads
to a vicious cycle of distrust.
Education :
The level of education plays very important role
in the socio-economic status of an individual. It
also shows the state’s status of education. If the
level of education is poor the job opportunities
are scare which forces labours to migrate. After
studying Dr. Beena’s paper on Migrant workers
in Mumbai(2010), the educational status of the
autoworkers is not very satisfactory. 3%workers
have no formal education at all. 19% of workers
have only primary education. 45% workers
have secondary education, 17% workers have
completed higher secondary education. 16%
workers have done graduation but since the
quality of education they have received is
poor and no other jobs availability they have
no option except to enter in this profession.
(Narayan. B, 2010)
Middle agents : Poor income :
There are a number of agents in Mumbai who Auto drivers earn monthly income of
are like a one stop shop for all issues to do Rs.22,000 Average based on the new fare
with auto rickshaws. The agents sell auto charges (quora.com, 2016). They pay part of
rickshaw spare parts, helps in getting loans, the money to their landlord and send money
getting insurance, and most importantly in to their family back in their villages. This is
buying and selling auto rickshaw permits. evident that in city like Mumbai less than
The permit buying and selling is done Rs.8000 is insufficient to have a nominal cost
through acquaintances and anyone who of living.
knows a seller and a buyer can become the
agent. The value of the permit varies as per
the demand and supply, with the usual rate
currently at Rs75,000 for three years. He
earns a commission of around Rs 1,000-2,000
on each deal. This illegal market was created
due to the issue of permits being stopped is
a significant cost that has to be borne by the
auto rickshaw driver/owner, thus influencing
their demands for a fare hike (Bhat. A, 2012).
Police & traffic police :
Police and traffic police are clearly the main
problem facing auto-rickshaw drivers. During
the Survey of EMBARQ,India (2012), many
drivers complained that they were unfairly
or without reason charged fines by the
Traffic Police. Furthermore, a large portion
of drivers mentioned that police and traffic
Police harassed the drivers. This may come
in the form of stopping them to check for
licenses and permits or approaching them
about refusals and tampered meters. On
the one hand, it is good that there is some
level of enforcement occurring but on the
other hand, the police seem to be arbitrarily
targeting drivers or alternately, not treating
drivers respectfully (EMBARQ, 2012).
Page. 47
 PROBLEMS FACED BY PASSENGERS
Overcharging :
Auto-rickshaws in Mumbai are fitted with
mandatory fare meters, which are calibrated
to charge a standard fare set by the local
Transport Department. This entails a “flag
down” payment of between INR10-25
(US$0.16-0.403) for the first 1–2 km, plus
a flat rate of INR6-12 (US$0.10-0.19) for
every subsequent kilometer. Overcharging
is considered to occur when a driver refuses
to switch on the meter or claims it is broken,
or bargains with the passenger to fix a
price. This process is illegal but widespread
(Harding, S. E., Badami, M. G., Reynolds, C.
C., & Kandlikar, M., 2016).
The newspapers use the verb “to fleece”
to describe overcharging; for example:
❝The state failed to acknowledge popular
sentiment after citizens overwhelmingly
endorsed the TOI [Times of India] campaign
last year to make auto-rickshaw drivers
use meters and not fleece customers by
demanding exorbitant fares❞ (Times of
India, 2013a).
❝If the auto-rickshaw drivers continue to
fleece the innocent people, they will keep
hiring only call taxis…❞ (The Hindu, 2013).
The perception of the auto-rickshaw driver’s
as greedy also features in civil society
campaigns. In 2012, the social activism
website, Change India, carried a petition
calling for a better system for making
complaints about auto-rickshaw drivers.
Page. 48
The campaign referred to Bangalore’s auto-
rickshaw drivers as auto rakshasa (“auto-
demons” or “devils”) and featured a poster
of a horned monster sitting in an auto-
rickshaw asking for more than the meter fare.
The petitioners argued that overcharging is
a matter of “economic justice” and implore
the “concerned citizens” to “join the fight”
against the rakshasa through the petition.
Meter Jam, a Mumbai-based consumer
group, organizes campaigns in which they
call on commuters to boycott auto-rickshaws.
Their website states:
❝….We’re tired of meter that always reads
more than it should; drivers who refuse to ply
and demand return fare whenever they want.
…❞ ❝Everyone is holding the Janta(people)
to ransom. How much more will we pay? It’s
time to turn the tables. So on 12th October,
shake your head and say NO if an auto-
rickshaw driver offers a ride!❞ (Meter Jam,
2012).
Overall, overcharging is widespread and is
perceived as the result of individual greed on
the part of drivers. Subsequent policies then
seek to address this perceived avarice using
approaches that are largely punitive.
Passenger safety :

Auto-rickshaws are perceived to be unsafe, first because

the vehicle itself is seen as hazardous, and the drivers as
poor vehicle operators, who are willing to overload their
vehicles. Auto-rickshaws are seen as unstable and liable to
“turn turtle”, due to a shunt from another vehicle, a bump
in the road, or overly rapid cornering by the driver, with the
passengers being thrown against the sparse, hard metal
interior, whose sole soft surfaces are the rear passenger
bench and the driver’s seat. The lack of doors means the
occupants can be thrown onto the road, with the potential
for serious injury, even at low speed. (Harding, S. E.,
Badami, M. G., Reynolds, C. C., & Kandlikar, M. , 2016).

The driver is also seen as a potential threat to women. A

teenager was allegedly raped by an auto rickshaw driver
in suburban Chembur on the pretext of providing her a job
(firstpost.com, 2014).

Page. 51
 Pollution :

(Harding. S, 2016) Auto-rickshaws have been seen as

significant contributors to urban air pollution, including
in policy circles. The Environment Pollution (Prevention &
Control) Authority for the National Capital Region (EPCA),
determined that the 80,000 auto-rickshaws then plying in
Mumbai were serious “offenders” in this regard, both be-
cause of their two-stroke engines, and the fact that they
were used intensively (EPCA, 1999). It is based on such
representations that the Supreme Court mandated that old
auto-rickshaws were to be scrapped. Further, replacement
vehicles were required to meet the latest emission norms,
and from 2000 onward, to be powered by an “alternate
fuel or source of energy”, effectively CNG, since no other
alternative fuel was available (Kojima et al., 2000)

Sreevatsan, A. (2011) mentioned in his article that Most

of the 53,000-odd auto-rickshaws in the city operate with
tampered silencers. Auto-rickshaw drivers admit that it
is a violation of noise pollution norms, but cite marginal
savings on fuel and better pick-up acceleration as factors
that push them to tamper with the silencer. “The noise
is extremely irritating. We are losing peace. I am not an
expert, but something should be added or removed from
the silencer to convert the vehicles into normal auto-
rickshaws,” says Mr. Rajamannar. Autorickshaws coming
out of the production line have something called ‘noise
mufflers’. The cup-shaped device encloses the silencer
and helps in reducing the noise from the exhaust.

Page. 52
Traffic congestion :

The auto-rickshaw is perceived as contributing to

congestion, first by way of auto-rickshaw stands, which are
lay-bys or a space at intersections that are de jure illegal,
but de facto tolerated, where drivers park their vehicles and
wait for passengers. The stands are occasionally officially
designated, but sometimes, are situated in places that
generate so little business that drivers abandon them for
more advantageous locations. Functional stands, whether
legal or not, are inevitably well known landmarks that
play an important role in connecting auto-rickshaws with
passengers (Harding. S, 2016).

Haphazard parking of auto-rickshaws at important junctions

of Mumbai city is causing massive traffic congestion during
peak hours. The obstruction is particularly prominent
at the various stations. At the Ghatkopar station, auto-
rickshaws are parked perpendicularly to the bus stop,
causing nuisance for commuters. Lot of auto-rickshaw
drivers drive in a haste to make more money, due to which
they do not follow the traffic rules.

Illegal shared auto stands :

There are share rickshaw stands at every railway station

in Mumbai. However, due to the tiny roads that lead up to
these stations, the stands cause a lot of congestion and
virtually end up blocking the entire road. The shared auto
rickshaws don’t take trips with individual passengers or
senior citizens. They look out for passengers going on a
same route so that they can make 3-4 times money on the
minimum fare.

Page. 55
 Availability :

As per the recent survey conducted by EMBARQ, India it is

known that there only 1,50,000 Auto Rickshaws serving the
22 million population of Mumbai. 88% of the population uses
public transport for their daily commute from which 60% use
the Mumbai local trains. Maximum usage of Auto-Rickshaw’s
is by passengers traveling to train, metro or monorail stations,
which makes it very challenging due to the limited number
of rickshaws. City peek hours make it more difficult for
passengers to get Auto-rickshaws due to high demand and
traffic. Sometimes passengers have to wait several hours on
the road to get a ride, especially during the Monsoons it gets
tough to remain on streets. As the local train system is the
lifeline of the city, hence there is significant blockage of roads
and footpaths outside the railway station. Lack of designated
rickshaw stands makes the passengers go back and fro to
catch an auto rickshaw. At times frustrated passengers offer
Auto rickshaws double/triple amount of the trip money, just
to make it back home. Availability of Auto-Rickshaws is one
of the major problem faced by the passengers, and it slows
down the entire system.

Page. 56
 The Question is how design can help Auto-rickshaw users to efficiently avail their
trip and enhance this paratransit mode of commute. To achieve the desired result,
I want to conduct an ethnographic study of the Auto-rickshaw industry in Mumbai
and understanding the proliferation of peer two peer services. Following the usage
pattern of a daily commuter, the hot spots, road map system and the parameters of
the auto rickshaw system. Auto rickshaws have been present in the city since the time
of Britishers, and they have been successfully perishing since history.

The recent increase of ‘peer services’ has enabled new types of ad-hoc trade in
labor, skills, knowledge and material goods using the web and mobile technologies
with peer-to-peer (P2P) architectures. As per my experience, I have noticed the major
change in the lifestyle of people moving from traditional to technological ways of
life. It’s like people won’t have a fridge at home, but they will make sure they have a
smartphone and TV at home.

RESEARCH
Services range from hospitality to lending a helping hand to transportation and are
often, collectively, called the ‘gig,’ ‘alternative,’ ‘collaborative,’ ‘peer’ or ‘sharing.’
Whilst all use P2P architectures, these groups include diverse sets of practices

DESIGN
involving exchanging various resources, for monetary or non-monetary gain, and for
employment or not. I am interested in the use of peer services in the workplace and
in this research I want to examine Uber/Ola and implement to connect customers and
auto-rickshaw (auto) drivers. I conducted an ethnographic study of auto rickshaws
in Mumbai, India. By focusing on their adoption, I aim to understand where and how
the technology can impact auto-driving for design. HCI has long been interested in
the impact of new technologies on work-practices. Introducing technology changes
existing practices and typically brings both benefits and disruptions. By examining
in detail how the work is achieved in, and through, people’s actions and interactions
with technology and one another. Such studies will help me open up spaces for (re)
designing technology to better support the Auto rickshaw system in Mumbai.

Like Uber acts as a ‘Digital Middleman’ to connect customers and drivers through
the algorithms, networks and data they control. They set fares, receive ride requests,
offer and assign rides to drivers, and use real-time and historical data to manage
assignment and, possibly, payment rates. The distribution of computing at the driver
and customer ends of the P2P architecture is limited to requesting, accepting, paying
for and rating rides. While the introduction of new technology into such a setting
might offer hope in improving livelihoods, it also brings concerns. New technology
can create new well paid, and regulated markets and various ICTD studies show that
technology deployments in developing countries often produce sustained positive
changes in the life of vulnerable populations. This thesis will enable me to examine
the impact of a P2P transportation platform on the auto-rickshaw sector and Design
a system which will help the daily commuters.

Page. 59
 Research Method
As a design study progresses, the research conducted is not only
a kind of primary research into the design process but also into the
design practice. In previous years, using scientific and objective
methods was considered the ideal approach to design research.
According to Swann (2002), the evidence from the experiments
suggested that scientists problem solves by analysis, whereas
designers problem solve by synthesis; Hence, the designers’
method is more inclined to focus on the solution.

This thesis project focuses on the problems faced by auto

rickshaw users in Mumbai city. Using action research approach is
an appropriate methodology for this project because it is iterative
in nature which requires understanding the user’s needs; Hence
User experience is the prime facia of this thesis. Adapting a method
of User experience design will help synthesis the actual problem.

METHODOLOGY
Primary Data
• Newspaper articles
• Websites of the Regional Transport Office and private auto
rickshaw fleets
• Research Papers Indian research papers regarding the auto
rickshaw system and American research papers regarding the
taxicab system. The American research papers were studied
so as to compare the auto rickshaw system in Mumbai with the
taxicab system in certain cities of the United States and to see
their comments on deregulation.

Secondary Data
• Conducting online surveys of commuters in Mumbai
• Understanding User flow pattern
• Understanding passenger needs

Page. 61
 Figure. 5
Outline of UX Design

Key Rules Key Rules

USEFUL USEFUL You need to solve a user’s need, a problem

actually have.
You need
that
tousers
solve a user’s need, a problem that users
actually have.

A person’s perceptions and responses

A person’s perceptions and responses
resulting from the use and/orresulting
anticipated
use of a product, system or service.
from the use and/or anticipated
use of a product, system or service. USABLE USABLE
Usability needs to be clear so that users
your product/service.
Usability
understand
needs to be clear so that users understand
your product/service.

DELIGHTFUL
DELIGHTFUL
When thinking about UX design, the Whendefinition
thinking
includes
about UX design, the definition includes
PROCESS PROCESS It’s no bad thing if a user enjoys It’s no bad thing if a user enjoys
how that experience can be manipulated
how that or experience
influenced can be manipulated or influenced using your product. using your product.
by the designer to increase the quality
by of
thethat
designer
experience
to increase the quality of that experience Understanding the BriefUnderstanding the Brief
for the user. for the user.
Empathy - the ability to understand
Empathy why- people
the ability
behave
to understand
the way they
whydo.
people behave the way they do.
User Research User Research
This is perhaps the most important
This isattribute
perhapsinthe
themost
field.important
Putting yourself
attribute in the field. Putting yourself
Specifically, the “design” aspect focuses
Specifically,
on how
the “design”
the aspect focuses on how the
utility, ease of use, and efficiency inutility,
a user’s
easeinteraction
of use, and efficiency in a user’s interaction in other people’s shoes is essential
in othertopeople’s
workingshoes
in UXisdesign,
essential
andtoit working
is in UX design, and it is
Interviews Interviews
something you might have to something
learn whenyou
youmight
are just
have
starting
to learn
out.when
Con-you are just starting out. Con-
with a product or service can be improved.
with a product
Visual design
or service can be improved. Visual design trary to popular belief, it does trary
not come
to popular
naturally
belief,
to everyone!
it does not come naturally to everyone!
is how a product looks, whereas UX is design
how ais,product
essentially,
looks, whereas UX design is, essentially, Persona's Persona's
how it feels. But there is more. UX howencompasses
it feels. But there
all is more. UX encompasses all Curiosity - the desire to know why people
Curiosity - the behave
desire to
theknow
way why
they people
do. behave the way they do.
aspects of the user’s interaction with aspects
the company
of the user’s
from interaction with the company from Online Surveys Online Surveys
Clarity of expression - theClarity
ability of
to express complicated
expression - the ability
concepts
to express complicated concepts
its customer service through to the quality
its customer
of its products.
service through to the quality of its products.
Flow Diagrams Flow Diagrams
clearly to those with little or noclearly
prior knowledge
to those with
in the
littlefield.
or no prior knowledge in the field.
Bear in mind that some UX designers Bear in usemind
the that
termssome UX designers use the terms
‘product’ and ‘service’ interchangeably.
‘product’ and ‘service’ interchangeably. Site maps Site maps
Every time you interact with a product,
Every
a software,
time you interact
or an with a product, a software, or an
Information ArchitectureInformation Architecture
object you are experiencing that as aobject
user ofyouthatare
product.
experiencing that as a user of that product.

User Experience Design (UXD)

User Experience Design (UXD)

A key UX design skill is therefore learning
A key UX howdesign
to makeskill is therefore learning how to make Wire-framing Wire-framing
that experience the best it can be. Athat
UXexperience
designer’s job theisbest it can be. A UX designer’s job is
also to be the glue that holds the also
entiretoproduct
be the glue
teamthat holds the entire product team High Fidelity wire-frames
High Fidelity wire-frames
together, translating designs to developers
together, who
translating
will thendesigns to developers who will then
implement. But it’s not all aboutimplement.
the user. But Just it’s
as not all about the user. Just as
Prototype Prototype
important in the UX design process important
is meeting
in the theUX design process is meeting the
Prototype Testing Prototype Testing
business goals of the product and aligning
businessthe goals
business
of the product and aligning the business
goals with the goals of the user. goals with the goals of the user. A/B Testing A/B Testing

The benefits of UX design

The are
benefits
two-fold:
of UX design are two-fold:
• UX design improves the experience
• UX design
of the user
improves
of thatthe
product.
experience of the user of that product. The term ‘User Experience Design’
Thewas
term
first‘User
coined
Experience
by Don Design’ was first coined by Don
Norman in 1995 while he was theNorman
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• Good user experience increases
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the adoption
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Advanced Technology Group at Apple.
Advanced Technology Group at Apple.

❝I invented the term because

❝I invented
I thought
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term because
interface
I thought human interface
The goals of UX designThe
aregoals
also two-fold;
of UX design are also two-fold; and usability were too narrow.
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all aspects
I wanted to cover all aspects
• They include Understand the•goals
Theyand
include
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Understand
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and context-of-use
or customers. of potential users or customers. of the person’s experience
of thewithperson’s
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including
with the system including
industrial design, graphics,
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the interface,
design, graphics,
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the interface, the physical
• Use that understanding to design
• Usea product,
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and technology.
the constraints of business and technology. interaction, and the manual.❞
interaction, and the manual.❞

Page. 62 Page. 63
 Brainstorming & Mindmap Figure. 6
Mind map - Auto Rickshaws in Mumbai
Brainstorming and Mind-mapping play an
important role in this thesis project as it helps
to understand the spectrum and different
parameter of the project. Furthermore, it adds
up to the visual thinking and highlights essential
information. The idea of this exercise was to
organize information, identify problems and find
solutions. Figure. 7
Illustration sketch - Auto Rickshaw Info graphic Mumbai

Page. 64 Page. 65
 Designing The User Experience of
Auto-Rickshaw Commuters in Mumbai City
Since the enlightenment of auto-rickshaws in India in the late 1950s, these
vehicles have become an indispensable aspect of urban mobility for millions
Problems Faced
of people. Auto rickshaws play a vital and vigorous role in India’s urban By Passengers
transport systems. They also represent a very improvisational and
increasingly inefficient sector – and they are getting lost in the changing
dynamics of urban mobility in India. Today, with increasing urban
populations, there is growth in demand for urban transport, growth in private
motorization and a decline in public transport share.

Airport Tower Nehru Center

Antelia
Twin Towers Availability Congestion Navigation Safety Auto Stand
Gateway of India
Taj Mahal Hotel
70% 65% 12% 80% 50%

INTRODUCTION
Mumbai consists of two distinct regions: Mumbai City
district and Mumbai Suburban district, which form

INFORMATION
two separate revenue districts of Maharashtra. The
city district region is also commonly referred to as the Other Issues
Island City or South Mumbai. The total area of
42% Trip Refusals
Mumbai is 233 sq mi. Of this, the island city spans
29% Lack of Availability
67.79 km2 (26 sq mi). 13% Overcharging / Unfair prices

21.3
05% Inaccurate meter
Traffic

GRAPHIC
04%

04% Fare increases

03% Rude behavior by driver

Million Population
VS
Public Transportation available

C O M PA R I S I O N
AUTO RICKSHAW KALI PEELI TAXI

• Low purchasing & • High purchasing &

maintenance cost. maintenance cost.
• Comparatively low fares. • Expensive fares.

• Cheaper for long & short • Costly for long & short
distances. distances.
• Small size, due to which it • Predator of heavy traffic,
can squeeze into anywhere as size of taxi is big.
LOCAL TRAIN MUMBAI METRO MONO-RAIL & save time of being stuck
in traffic. • They run on Diesel.

• Eco friendly as they run on

CNG.

BST BUS AUTO-RICKSHAW TAXI Auto-Rickshaw Application Design

1 Hour 15 Mins Travel Period AUTO.. !"#$ !"#$

%&'(&)*+ ,-./#01 *+,-./ $%&!'() !""#

Residence Welcome Jesal

Commute 5 mins away

Jesal
View Profile 5 min

Pattern Home

Payment

FFDE17
Ride History
Auto Rickshaw App
Workers Help

Journey !
Settings
Auto Rick Zara `Store
150-165 Switch to
3 SEATS
Pick up Location
(Estimate Fare) Auto Share
Notification

Sign Out
" CASH

Zara Store
Pick up Location

Register as a Auto Driver

Powai Gardens
Train Station Zara Store
Get Started
Drop off Location
Pick up Location

Register as a Auto Driver Set Pick Up Request Auto

Infographic - Thesis
Mobile application development has created dependency on the smartphones to a great extent. With
the introduction of mobile apps in the taxi startup business, more people are heading towards taxi
booking app. According to Berg Insight, Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store will serve over 62%
Office / Industry

of the total app downloads in 2017. While Windows Phone OS is estimated to be the 3rd most popular
app platform in 2017. Auto Rickshaw on-demand is revolutionary in itself. Developing an app for Auto
Rickshaw is creating an app enriched with various features which will solve the major challenges

Overview
Figure. 8

faced by passengers and auto drivers.

Course Mentor : Dr. Rudi Meyer NSCAD - MDES2017 (Sources: Wikipedia & Nounproject) Designed By : Jesal Chitalia

Page. 67
 Para Transit Application
Mobile application development has created dependency
on the smartphones to a great extent. With the introduction
of mobile apps in the taxi startup business, more people are
heading towards taxi booking app. According to Berg Insight,
Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store will serve over 62% of
the total app downloads in 2017. While Windows Phone OS is
estimated to be the 3rd most popular app platform in 2017.

Auto Rickshaw on-demand is revolutionary in itself. Developing

an app for Auto Rickshaw is creating an app enriched with
various features. The taxi booking application consists of
various features like :

RESEARCH
• The easy registration process for the users and Auto drivers.

• GPS and map integration to see the route towards the

destination.

PROCESS • Auto payment option for users to make an Online payment/

wallet/cash.

• Offers automated fare calculation facility.

• Option to select vehicle depending on the requirement.

• Option for Auto drivers to accept or reject a taxi request.

• The tracking feature is made available on real time basis. To

track driver’s location.

• Analytics features along with stored invoice enables to track

payment and other things.

• A driver can view the history and keep a tab on the number of
requests accepted and other details related to the service.

Page. 69
 How it works
The Autorickshaw app will provide a user-friendly interface
and will be compatible with the big platforms such as iOS,
Android and Windows. The app will be provided free of charge
to be downloaded and used by the customer. Once the app is
installed, the user can book a Autorickshaw and use the GPS to
locate and track the auto driver. It also offers various features like
automated fare calculation, selecting vehicle type depending
on the requirement, etc.

DESIGN
ITERATIONS

Page. 70 Page. 71
 Information Architecture New User

Creating a structure for the Auto rickshaw application and the First Time User View features of App

project, that allowed me to understand where we are as users, Getting Started

and where the information we want is in relation to our position.

Information architecture results helped me in creating of site maps,
Registering as a Driver

hierarchies, categorizations, navigation, and meta-data.

Abby Covert stated that “Cognitive psychology is the study of how New User - Onboarding

the mind works, and what mental processes take place there, so Getting Started Adding Cell Phone No. Verification Resend Code
Code
it’s not surprising that it influences both the interactions we design
Verification
and the way we architect information.” Or Login with Facebook Problem Receiving Code Receive call Code by call

Code Verified cancel

Verification
from FB

User Name

User Email

Home Page

Figure. 9
Flow Diagram - New users using the App

Page. 72 Page. 73
Existing User Flow

(current Address)
Home Page Pick Up Location Type Address or Place Name Auto Navigate current location

Set Pickup
Add Home / office / Fav

Scheduled Pickup Set Date & Time

User Profile

Auto Navigate User Location

Select type of Ride Individual Request Auto
Confirm Location

User Profile Share

Pick up Location
Profile Home Page

Add Destination
Notifications

Add Payment Add Payment

Ride History

Promos

Help

Settings User Details

Auto Driver
Sign up to Drive Become a Driver
App

Feedback Services

Log Out

Figure. 10
Flow Diagram - Existing users using the App

Page. 75
 Concept Drawing

APPLICATION
CONCEPT

Figure. 11
Rough Sketch - App process iteration 1

Page. 77
 Concept Drawing

Figure. 12
Rough Sketch - App process iteration 2

Page. 78
 Application Skeleton
Wireframes can be created in a lot of ways like paper sketches,
computer drew images etc. This part of the design process is
quick to make and an excellent tool to enhance communication
in this project. Low-fidelity wireframes are kind of a starting point
for a designer’s mindset to work on a layout as well as a content
writer’s thoughts on content length and hierarchical frame.
They provide a simple picture by way of organized blocks that
show space allocated for an image and mock content (lorem
ipsum) used to get a rough estimate of the length of different
content blocks.

LOW FIDELITY
WIREFRAMING

Figure. 13
LFW - Application Landing Page

Page. 81
 User Number Number Verification User Name Details User Email Details

Figure. 14
LFW - On Boarding Process

Page. 82 Page. 83
 Home Page Request Auto Page Set Pick Up Page Payment Page

Figure. 15
LFW - Application Features

Page. 84 Page. 85
 Add Payment Method Page User Profile Page Ride Confirmation Page

Figure. 16
LFW - Application Features

Page. 86 Page. 87
 Grey Scale Wireframes

HIGH FIDELITY
WIREFRAMING

Application Landing Page

Figure. 17
HFW - App Loading Page

Page. 89
 User Number Number Verification User Name Details User Email Details

Figure. 18
HFW - App On Boarding Process

Page. 90 Page. 91
 Home Page Request Auto Page Request Auto Share Page User Dashboard

Figure. 19
HFW - App Features

Page. 92 Page. 93
 Typeface for Auto Rickshaw App :
San Francisco (SF) is the system typeface in iOS. The fonts of this typeface
are optimized to give the text unmatched legibility, clarity, and consistency.
Emphasize important information, Using font weight, size, and color to
highlight the most important information in the app.

Making sure to use a single typeface. Mixing several different typefaces

can make the app seem fragmented and sloppy. I Considered using one
typeface and just a few font variants and sizes. I tried Using built-in text
styles whenever possible. The built-in text styles let you express content
in ways that are visually distinct, while retaining optimal legibility. These
styles are based on the system fonts and allow you to take advantage of key
typographic features, such as Dynamic Type, which automatically adjusts
tracking and leading for every font size.

APPLICATION
TYPOGRAPHY
Dynamic Type Size Table iOS 10
Fonts sizes are in Engineering Point Sizes. Use SF UI Text for sizes below 20pt. Use SF UI Display for sizes 20pt or greater.
L=Light, R=Regular, SB=Semibold | L=Leading, B=Suggested Baseline | Short subtracts 2 pts of leading, tall adds 2 pts of leading.

xSmall Small Medium Large xLarge xxLarge xxxLarge

Default

Title 1
L25, 31L
Title 1
L26, 32L
Title 1
L27, 33L
Title 1
L28, 34L, 32B
Title 1
L30, 36L
Title 1
L32, 39L
Title 1
L34, 41L

Title 2 Title 2 Title 2 Title 2 Title 2 Title 2 Title 2

R19, 23L R20, 24L R21, 28L R22, 28L, 28B R24, 30L R26, 32L R28, 34L

Title 3 Title 3 Title 3 Title 3 Title 3 Title 3 Title 3

R17, 21L R18, 22L R19, 23L R20, 24L, 28B R22, 27L R24, 29L R26, 32L

Headline Headline Headline Headline Headline Headline Headline

SB14, 19L SB15, 20L SB16, 21L SB17, 22L, 20B SB19, 24L SB21, 26L SB23, 28L

Body Body Body Body Body Body Body

R14, 19L R15, 20L R16, 21L R17, 22L, 20B R19, 24L R21, 26L R23, 28L

Callout Callout Callout Callout Callout Callout Callout

R13, 18L R14, 19L R15, 20L R16, 21L, 20B R18, 23L R20, 24L R22, 27L

Subhead Subhead Subhead Subhead Subhead Subhead Subhead

R12, 16L R13, 18L R14, 19L R15, 20L, 20B R17, 22L R19, 24L R21, 26L

Footnote Footnote Footnote Footnote Footnote Footnote Footnote

R12, 16L R12, 16L R12, 16L R13, 18L, 20B R15, 20L R17, 22L R19, 24L

Caption 1 Caption 1 Caption 1 Caption 1 Caption 1 Caption 1 Caption 1

R11, 13L R11, 13L R11, 13L R12, 16L, 20B R14, 19L R16, 21L R18, 23L

Caption 2 Caption 2 Caption 2 Caption 2 Caption 2 Caption 2 Caption 2

R11, 13L R11, 13L R11, 13L R11, 13L, 20B R13, 18L R15, 20L R17, 22L

Page. 95
 Color Scheme

HEX : FFDE17

HEX : 000000

HEX : 9B9B9B

HEX : FFFFFFF

USER INTERFACE
DESIGN

IPHONE - 8

Retina HD display
4.7-inch (diagonal) widescreen
1334-by-750-pixel resolution at 326 ppi
1400:1 contrast ratio (typical)

Application Layout

Total Width : 365 Pixels

Offset : 15 Pixels
No. Of Columns : 10
Gutter Width : 5 Pixels
Column Width : 30 Pixels

Page. 97
 New passenger
on boarding
process

Cell Phone Personal Information

Number Verification
Registering users name and last name,
Registering your cell phone number so that application can address offers,
so that application can track your GPS invoices and maintain user profiles.
location using your cellular data or
wifi. Makes communication simplified
via SMS.

Verification Code Email Verification

Followed by registration of your cell Followed by registration of cell phone

phone number, User will receive number and personal info, the user
6 digit code via SMS. This helps to should provide with an email address
identify the registered user and avoids so that the application can send all the
any fraud or manipulation of data. legal / promotional / ride information.

Page. 98
 Application
features
for new user

Application Home Page Pickup / Drop off Location

Once the user is on board the These features of the application

application, he can view the aerial map helps user to ascertain his/her desired
of the location he is at and also view destination and also gives them
the Auto rickshaws nearby to him. This options to save their favorite locations
page enables the user to immediately like Home, work place, mall, etc.
call for auto rickshaw .

Auto Ride Confirmation

Requesting Ride
Once the user successfully confirms
Followed by setting pickup, the user his auto ride, he receives important
gets ability to various features like information like the Auto drivers
scheduling the ride, adding more drop picture, rickshaw details, time of
destinations, switching to Auto share pickup and also provides an integrated
and selecting a mode of payment. map of the drivers location.

Page. 100
 Application
features for sharing
auto ride

Information for Waiting Page

sharing Auto Ride
This part of the application helps re-
routing passengers traveling on similar
This page mainly explains the benefits
routes and passengers opting for a
of sharing an auto rickshaw ride with
shared ride.
other passengers traveling on similar
routes.

Requesting Shared Ride Sharing Auto Ride

Confirmation
Followed by setting pickup, the user
gets ability to various features like
Once the user successfully confirms
Auto share, fixed price, modes of
his auto ride, he receives important
payments and estimate time for
information like the Auto drivers
pickup. The auto share passenger
picture, rickshaw details, time of
can also ascertain the rickshaw
pickup and also provides an integrated
drivers location and how far is he.
map of the drivers location.

Page. 102
 Passengers
administrative control
and settings

Passengers Dashboard Editing User Information

User profile button contains a tray This feature helps the user to edit
of useful features which can help the his/her information like Adding users
user to edit his/her profile, settings, photograph, address, name and cell
add payment methods, check ride phone number.
history, register as Auto driver and
much more.

User Settings Adding Payment Method

This page of the application gives This page of the application helps
the user the ability to control his/her passengers to quickly add their
personal information, signing in as a payment method via credit, debit,
Auto Rickshaw driver and deactivating payPal or Paytm. It also makes
his or her account. it simplified for the user to save
payment details in a securely manner.

Page. 104
 Passengers
feedback
and support

Ride Completion Passenger Ride

feedback page History in Detail

After completion of each ride the This page is like a log book which
passenger has the ability to rate the provides each and every detail of
auto driver and provide their valuable passengers auto rides and it also
feedback. provides the ability for passengers to
redress and provide them a detailed
receipt.

Passengers Ride History Scheduled Rides

This feature of the application This tab collects all the upcoming rides
collects all the trips and history of the which the passenger has pre-booked
passengers auto rides. and provides him the ability to make
changes to the destinations, date and
timing and also cancellations.

Page. 106
 Auto rickshaw
driver’s on
boarding Process

Application Landing Page Personal Information

This page is the front of the Registering users name and last name,
application which explains the driver so that application can address offers,
the features and how to get started invoices and maintain user profiles.
using the application.

Cell Phone Email Verification

Number Verification
Followed by registration of cell phone
number and personal info, the user
Registering your cell phone number should provide with an email address
so that application can track your GPS so that the application can send all the
location using your cellular data or legal / promotional / ride information.
wifi. Makes communication simplified
via SMS. It also enables the app to get
you started with using the system.

Page. 108
 Registering Auto
Rickshaw to the
Application

Vehicle Registration Page Auto Driver’s

Personal Information
Followed by sign up process the auto
driver has to register his auto rickshaw This part of the app is the final
to enable himself to use the services registration phase where the driver
and features of the application. has to fill in his legal and personal
details.

Vehicle Registration step Driver’s Home Page

The registration process is a simple This page of the application is the

3 stage procedure where the driver controlling tab for the auto driver, it
has to fill out all the information gives him access to all the features of
pertaining to his Auto rickshaw like the application. It makes him eligible
manufacturing date, made in, model to go online or off-line, track his
number and appearance of his auto earnings, receive payments, calculate
rickshaw. trip logistics and all the required
features.

Page. 110
 Auto Driver’s
Administrative
Control and settings

Auto Ride request Driver’s Dashboard

Notification pop up when a passenger User profile button contains a tray

requests for an auto ride, the driver of useful features which can help the
has the ability to decline / accept the Driver to edit his/her profile, settings,
request or either go offline. add payment methods, check ride
history, register as Auto driver and
much more.

Driver’s Earning Page Driver’s Profile Settings

This page of the application gives the

This tab collects all the earnings of
driver the ability to control his/her
the driver by calculating all the rides
personal information, signing in as a
the driver makes day to day basis or
passenger and deactivating his or her
weekly. He can also request to get
account.
paid for the profits he has collected.

Page. 112
 Auto Rickshaw Application Prototype
This phase of the application can help users to “play”
with ideation and concepts and give us valuable feedback
that shapes the final designs before the application
being developed. This process saves time and money
in development and creates an experience that offers a
significantly better user interface for the viewers to deeply
understand the features and functionality of the app.

APPLICATION
DESIGN
PROTOTYPE

Prototype Link
https://invis.io/ETGAQOOV9PK

Page. 115
 This thesis project began as a research study of the autorickshaw transit issues faced
by daily commuters in Mumbai city and investigated how design can improve the
experience of auto rickshaw users in the city. As a result of a series of brainstorming,
systematic analysis, and concept development, which involved a literature review
and data analysis. Through the application of action research, the methodology
of the thesis gradually began to form, while through mind-mapping, information
architecture and wireframing I was able to create a prototype of the application for
user testing. This design aims to facilitate autorickshaw passengers and drivers a
smooth para transit commute.

After thoroughly understanding the current autorickshaw system in Mumbai city and
design thinking, the application focuses on experience design for the commuters
facing numerous problems with existing manual system. The auto rickshaw
application if developed and put in place can improvise the autorickshaw commute
in a more systematic driven manner benefiting the passengers, drivers, government
and local municipality bodies. This application will also enhance the traditional
autorickshaw system towards a technological system, which will erase 70% of the
problems faced in the current scenario.

CONCLUSION This study brings to light some of the changes and influences to perceptions
(towards passengers and auto drivers) and practices (accepting of ride-
requests; right to the passenger) that are being brought about by the uptake
of this application. However, for a app like this is to be seen as trans-formative,
they would need to play a decisive role in shaping perceptions and practices
of those on and off the platform; and sustaining them over time.

Page. 117
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