Exit may trigger scramble for market share

BluSmart's abrupt exit from the market has set the stage for a market grab by rivals Uber, Ola, Rapido, and inDrive.

- UDISHA SRIVASTAV

And early signs indicate that Uber may end up with the biggest share of the pie. Several users now say that Uber will become their preferred option, and investors predict that the market leader will further strengthen its dominance.

According to data from brokerage firm Motilal Oswal published in January, Uber leads the country's cab-hailing market on average daily rides and monthly active users.

The US-based company is way ahead of competitors with 840,000 daily rides, followed by Ola (460,000), and Rapido (320,000). Similarly, Uber has 33.6 million monthly active users while Rapido has 31.8 million and Ola has 28.6 million.

A few regular BluSmart users say they are inclined to use Uber with BluSmart services no longer available. Somil Agrawal, a Gurugram-based marketing professional and a loyal BluSmart user until now, says he would prefer Uber for his daily commute and airport drops. He calls it "the next best alternative".

Yashasvi Shailly, another BluSmart regular, echoes Agrawal's thoughts and says she will use Uber for her daily commute over other ride-hailing applications.