Overview
- Swapnil Jain, co-founder of Ather Energy, boarded a ₹12 BMTC bus on July 14 after auto fares surged to ₹175 for a 4-km ride, calling it his way of protesting inflated urban transport prices.
- His post went viral on July 15, prompting commuters to applaud his choice and share their own cost-saving bus journeys.
- Users highlighted BMTC’s UPI payment feature as a smoother alternative to cash transactions and recommended both Namma BMTC and Tummoc apps for live bus tracking.
- Switch Mobility’s electric buses were celebrated for their comfortable ride despite some reports of minor acceleration lags under heavier passenger loads.
- The online conversation also included criticism of private scooter performance under pillion riders and surfaced ahead of an auto fare hike scheduled for August 1.