Visakhapatnam: Concerned about safety of women travelling in vehicles booked through bike and cab aggregators, director of Encodency Private Limited Srujana Paidi along with her team launched ‘Vruum’ service in Visakhapatnam, connecting users with convenient and budget-friendly rides.

With an army of verified and registered drivers, including women, Vruum offers services by making travelling from one destination to another quite accessible to all as it prioritises safety and efficiency.

In a step to address a concerning trend, Srujana says that her team decided to make a difference through the platform. “Many drivers who own their vehicles are losing 70-80 percent of their earnings to the platform itself, with a little benefit left for them. On the contrary, platform owners are becoming increasingly wealthy. Apart from safety issues for women travellers, this system also lacks opportunities for women,” Srujana identifies.

Spotting such setbacks, the young entrepreneur says that Vruum not just integrates a host of services but also bridges the gaps concerning the platform.

From an initial fleet of 300 vehicles, the registration for the platform has seen an impressive growth of over 3,000 vehicles, empowering drivers, women in particular, facilitating substantial benefits to them.

What makes Vruum stand out as a unified platform is the flexible payment models that allow drivers to minimise their expenses and maximise income. “Our platform encompasses cabs, auto-rickshaws, bikes, and cars driven by our registered drivers. Travellers can access them by downloading the App. We prioritise safety and convenience for women passengers by providing women drivers for them. For customers, we ensure transparency in pricing with distance-based charges sans any hidden fee,” Srujana shares with The Hans India on the occasion of the ‘International Women’s Day’.

Currently, the service is available in Jaipur, Visakhapatnam and Ahmedabad.

With an army of drivers and a fleet of vehicles, Srujana says that the next target is to make the service available in Delhi-NCR and increase the number of rides within the cities where the aggregator is currently operating. In a male-dominated world, Srujana attributes the success of Vruum to a dedicated team. “With the support of our CEO and other director, we’ve forged a strong position in the cities. We are empowering women by providing them a new avenue for mobility and employment opportunities through our platform,” she adds.