Gig workers in Bengaluru get another ride option

BENGALURU: For Bengaluru’s gig workers, who often juggle long distances and tight delivery windows, reliable transport is everything. Now, after a three-year hiatus, Bounce is back with a revamped scooter rental model that’s being positioned as a no-frills mobility option — particularly for those working in delivery and other informal sectors.Rebranded as Bounce Daily, the service no longer offers its old dockless format, where riders could pick up and drop scooters anywhere in the city. Instead, it now operates through six designated hubs — Banaswadi, Hoodi, Yelahanka, HSR Layout, JP Nagar and RR Nagar — from which scooters can be rented for periods ranging from three days to a full month, and must be returned to the same location.

Speaking to TOI, CEO Vivekananda Hallekere said: “Our first target with rentals is the gig workers and office goers.

This is a practical solution for people who rely on two-wheelers for their livelihood.”Of its total fleet of 3,000 scooters, 2,300 are in Bengaluru. Pricing starts at Rs 230–250 per day for longer rentals and goes up to around Rs 285 for short durations. Each scooter is a Bounce Infinity EV, manufactured by the company and features tamper-proof batteries, location tracking, and insurance cover—features designed to deter misuse and improve vehicle reliability.

Insured Battery VehicleBefore the pandemic, Bounce was a pioneer of dockless mobility, operating nearly 30,000 scooters and moving over 1.2 lakh riders daily in Bengaluru alone. But its free-form model suffered from misuse, illegal parking, and operational chaos — vulnerabilities that Covid-19 ultimately exposed.Post-pandemic, Bounce is taking a more structured approach. “We’re not ruling out the old ‘pick anywhere, drop anywhere’ model.

But it will come back only with stronger user checks, better tech, and perhaps, a community-led referral system,” Hallekere said. The company is also exploring integration with dark stores of food and quick-commerce companies, offering doorstep rentals for gig workers. And outside metros, it aims to partner with local entrepreneurs to bring mobility solutions to underserved district headquarters.Bounce’s electric shift also positions it differently from competitors — it’s now a battery-swapping, insured, fully electric rental service.

Hallekere says this addresses one of the biggest gaps for gig workers: lack of insurance and vehicle security.At its peak, Bounce deployed over 1 lakh helmets in a year. Despite shutting down for three years, many helmets remained in circulation. Some were returned by loyal users, with stories of Ayudha Puja and emotional attachment reflecting the brand’s unexpected cultural imprint.