A Study on Commuters perception of Chalo App service for BEST in Mumbai

Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 155 A Study on Commuters perception of Chalo App service for BEST in Mumbai Sivasankari Thangavel1, Dr. Reshma R. More2 1Research Scholar – Bhavan’s Hazarimal Somani College, Chowpatty 2Research Guide – Associate Professor, Department of Accountancy Bhavan’s Hazarimal Somani College, Chowpatty, Mumbai Manuscript ID: JRD -2025-171132 ISSN: 2230-9578 Volume 17 Issue 11 (I) Pp. 155-159 Nov. 2025 Submitted:15 Oct. 2025 Revised: 25 Oct. 2025 Accepted: 10 Nov. 2025 Published: 30 Nov. 2025 Abstract Public transport remains the backbone of urban mobility in Mumbai, with the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking serving millions of commuters daily. In recent years, the integration of digital platforms such as the Chalo App has sought to modernize bus services. This study examines commuters’ perception of the Chalo App services provided by BEST in Mumbai, focusing on usage patterns, satisfaction levels, and areas requiring improvement. The research analyses features such as live bus tracking, digital ticketing, and route planning. Data collected from 50 respondents reveals a balanced gender representation but a strong dominance of younger commuters, particularly students, who are more inclined toward adopting mobile applications. Findings indicate that while the app is valued for its convenience, reduced waiting times, and cashless transactions. The study further identifies the key areas where users expect improvements. The most prominent suggestion was enhancing the accuracy of live bus tracking, followed by improving app speed and overall performance. Users also highlighted the need for better customer support through chat or helpline and recommended the inclusion of more language options to serve a diverse commuter base. Overall, the research concludes that the Chalo App has significantly improved travel convenience and efficiency for BEST commuters. However, ongoing updates and enhancements are essential to increase reliability, user satisfaction, and the overall effectiveness of digital public transport systems. Keywords: Digitalisation in public road transport, BEST Bus Services, Chalo App service , Computer Satisfaction. Introduction: Public transportation is the lifeline of Mumbai, a city where millions depend on buses daily to navigate its dense urban landscape. The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has long been central to this mobility, offering affordable and accessible bus services. Yet, challenges such as traffic congestion, unpredictable schedules, and long ticket queues have highlighted the need for modernization and digital solutions. In response to these challenges, the Chalo App was founded in 2014 in Mumbai by Nikhil Aggarwal, Mohit Dubey, Priya Singh, Vinayak Bhavnani, and Dhruv Chopra. Conceived as a smart mobility platform, Chalo integrates technology into bus travel to make commuting more reliable and convenient. Through innovations such as live bus tracking, digital tickets and passes, and route planning, Chalo is a technology-driven transport solutions company that aims to make travel by public transport better. The start-up’s key focus is on improving the bus services of the cities making them more reliable, easier, more convenient to use, and less timeconsuming, thus increasing ridership in these buses. A commuters can track any live bus and see its live arrival time. This means no more waiting at a bus stop – you can plan to arrive at the bus stop just 1-2 minutes before your bus. GPS devices installed in buses provide real-time updates, while partnerships with transport authorities like BEST enable seamless integration of services. The adoption of Chalo in Mumbai has been significant. As of 2025, more than 11 lakh commuters have installed the app, with 7–8 lakh passengers using it daily to purchase tickets. This accounts for nearly 25% of BEST’s total daily ridership of around 30 lakh commuters. Additionally, over 2.5 lakh commuters have opted for season tickets via the app, and premium BEST routes see thousands of daily bookings through Chalo. Quick Response Code: Website: https://jrdrvb.org/ DOI: Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work noncommercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations ae licensed under the idential terms. Address for correspondence: Sivasankari Thangavel, Research Scholar – Bhavan’s Hazarimal Somani College, Chowpatty. How to cite this article: Sivasankari Thangavel, Dr. Reshma R. More(2025). A Study on Commuters perception of Chalo App service for BEST in Mumbai. Journal of Research & Development, 17(11(I)), 155-159. Original Article Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 156 Nationally, the app has expanded to 40+ cities, serving over 4 million active users, making it one of India’s largest bus travel platforms. Understanding commuters’ perception of the Chalo App is crucial for evaluating its effectiveness and identifying areas for improvement. Perceptions of usability, affordability, reliability, and satisfaction directly influence the success of such digital interventions. This study therefore focuses on analysing how Mumbai’s bus commuters view the Chalo App service for BEST, exploring both its strengths and challenges, and assessing its impact on daily travel behaviour. The study focuses on smart mobility and sustainable urban transport in India, using Chalo as an example of how technology can reshape public transportation. Review of Literature  Mayilsamy R. et al. (2025)1 in their paper ―A Study on Passengers’ Awareness and Satisfaction in Using Chalo App with Special Reference to Coimbatore City‖ The study found that while the Chalo App improves commuting through live tracking, arrival estimates, and route planning, many passengers remain unaware of it. Among users, satisfaction is generally positive, but issues like app crashes and inaccurate timings reduce trust. The main gaps identified are low awareness and the need for regular updates to improve accuracy and real-time reliability.  Bhojwani R. et al. (2024)2, in their paper " Adapting to Changing Business Environments: An Analysis of Best's Chalo App in Improving Commuter Satisfaction in Mumbai‖. It highlights commuters appreciate features like live bus tracking and digital ticketing. Major challenges include technical glitches, inconsistent GPS accuracy, and limited awareness among older commuters. The study concludes that while adoption is strong, continuous improvements in reliability and user education are essential.  Shirgaonkar B. (2024)3, in his paper titled ―A study on Innovative techniques adopted by Best Bus Services with reference to Chalo Bus app (Mumbai Suburban region)‖. It discusses technological innovations introduced by BEST through the Chalo App, and how these changes influenced commuter expectations and service efficiency. However, the study notes gaps in digital literacy and highlights the need for multilingual support to reach diverse commuter groups. Objectives of the Study The objectives of the study are as follows:  To study the usage of Chalo App among commuters in Mumbai.  To examine the perception of commuters towards Chalo App service of BEST in Mumbai. Research Methodology The study is based on primary as well as secondary data. Primary data was collected with the help of a structured questionnaire. With the help of the random convenient sampling technique, the questionnaire was distributed among 50 Commuters how are using Chalo App service of BEST. The secondary data were collected from official BEST websites, books, journals, research papers and the internet etc. Collected data is statistically analyzed and interpreted by various statistical tools such as averages and percentages. Graphs and tables have also been used for the presentation of findings. Chalo App Service of Best: Here are the features of the Chalo App (BEST):  Real-Time Bus Tracking The Chalo App allows users to track buses in real time, showing the bus’s exact location and estimated time of arrival (ETA). This feature helps commuters avoid long waits at bus stops by allowing them to reach just minutes before the bus arrives.  Mobile Ticketing Users can purchase bus tickets and passes directly through the app, eliminating the need to visit ticket counters or carry cash. Mobile passes can be activated before travel, making the process faster, safer, and more convenient.  User-Friendly Interface The Chalo App is designed with an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, making it simple for users to navigate features such as bus tracking, ticket purchasing, route search, and schedules.  Safety Features The app includes security features like Emergency SOS and Live Trip Sharing, which allow users to share their live location with trusted contacts, enhancing safety during travel.  Regular App Updates The Chalo App is updated on a regular basis based on user feedback. New features and updates are frequently released to enhance functionality, reliability, and overall user experience.  Live Passenger Indicator A recent feature displays how full the bus is compared to its recommended capacity. This helps commuters decide whether to board the bus, especially during times when reduced capacity or social distancing is required.  Chalo Cards Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 157 NFC touch-to-pay card that can hold multi-trip tickets (like a monthly pass) and a wallet. This eliminates the inconvenience of carrying change, and contactless payments boost safety by 20 times during COVID-19.  Chalo Mobile Bus Passes Using the Chalo App, commuters can purchase bus passes or tickets digitally and validate travel by scanning a QR code. This eliminates repeated visits to pass counters, benefits students and regular passengers, and enhances safety by avoiding cash transactions with conductors. Findings and Discussions Table -1 Personal Profile of Respondents Particulars Frequency Percentage Gender Male 25 50.00 Female 25 50.00 Age Group 14-25 26 52.00 26-35 12 24.00 36-45 8 16.00 46-55 2 4.00 Above 55 2 4.00 Educational Qualification Students 24 48.00 Service 18 36.00 Self Employed 2 4.00 Other 6 12.00 Total 50 100.00 Source: Self Complied Table1 shows, the study includes 50 respondents, equally divided between male (50%) and female (50%). Most participants are young commuters, with 52% aged 14–25, followed by 24% aged 26–35, and fewer respondents in older age groups. In terms of occupation/education, students form the largest group (48%), followed by service employees (36%), while the remaining respondents are self-employed (4%) or belong to other categories (12%). Overall, the sample reflects a predominantly young and educated commuter group that is likely to use Chalo App. Figure: 1: Opinion of Respondents towards how long using of Chalo App Source: Self Complied Figure 1 shows the majority of respondents (58%) have been using the Chalo App for more than one year, indicating strong long-term adoption. Another 35% have used the app for 6–12 months, showing growing popularity in the past year. Only a small proportion—6% for 3–4 months and 2% for less than 3 months—are relatively new users. Overall, the data shows that most respondents are experienced and regular users of the Chalo App. Figure 2: Opinion of Respondents towards use of Chalo App features 2% 6% 35% 58% Less than 3 months 3-4 Months Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 158 Source: Self Complied Figure 2 shows that Live Bus Tracking is the most preferred feature of the Chalo App, followed by schedules, digital payments, and other convenience-based features. Overall, users value functions that help them save time and plan their travel efficiently. Figure-3 Level of satisfaction of respondents towards Chalo App services of BEST Source: Self Complied  Figure 3 shows that out of 50 respondents, 15 are highly satisfied with the Live Bus Tracking feature of the Chalo App, while 13 respondents are satisfied. Whereas 6respondents are highly dissatisfied with this feature. This indicates that only about 30% of the respondents expressed a high level of satisfaction with the Live Bus Tracking service provided by the app.  Out of 50 respondents, 16 are highly satisfied with the feature of bus schedules of the Chalo App, while 10 moderate ratings. Satisfaction is strong but mixed, as 8 are highly satisfied while 9 are dissatisfied or highly dissatisfied, suggesting occasional schedule mismatches.  Out of 50 respondents, Digital ticketing has 14 satisfied and 13 moderate users. However, only 10 are highly satisfied, while 7 dissatisfied and 6 highly dissatisfied respondents indicate some technical or usability issues.  Out of 50 respondents, this route planning feature stands out with a strong 25 highly satisfied respondents. Only 4 satisfied and 8 moderate responses were recorded. Minimal dissatisfaction (5 dissatisfied and 5 highly dissatisfied) suggests that route planning is the most effective feature of the Chalo App.  Out of 50 respondents, A total of 12 satisfied, 15 moderate, and 10 highly satisfied respondents indicate a positive response towards Chalo Wallet / Payments features. However, 7 dissatisfied and 6 highly dissatisfied users point to occasional payment failures or wallet-related issues. Figure4 Opinion of respondents towards improvement of Chalo App services of the BEST Source: Self Complied 34 17 12 12 14 0 10 20 30 40 Live Bus Tracking Bus Arrivals / Schedules Digital Tickets / Passes Route Planning Chalo Wallet / Payments features of Chalo App 15 8 10 4 7 13 16 14 8 12 10 10 13 8 15 6 9 7 25 10 6 7 6 5 6 0 10 20 30 Live Bus Tracking Bus Arrivals / Schedules Digital Tickets / Passes Route Planning Chalo Wallet / Payments Highly Satisfied Satisfied Moderate Dissatisfied Highly Satisfied 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 Improve Accuracy of live Bus tracking Improve App speed and performance Improve Ticket Booking options Add Customer support chart or helpline More Language options 57.50% 15% 7.50% 12.50% 7.50% Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 159 Figure4 shows that the majority of respondents (57.50%) feel that the Chalo App should primarily improve the accuracy of live bus tracking. Other suggested improvements include enhancing the app’s speed and performance (15%) and adding a customer support chat or helpline (12.50%). A smaller share of users (7.50% each) recommended better ticket booking options and more language choices. Overall, users want more reliable tracking and smoother app functionality. Conclusion The study on commuters’ perception of the Chalo App services for BEST in Mumbai reveals that the app has become an essential tool for daily bus users, particularly among young and tech-savvy commuters. Most respondents have been using the app for more than a year, indicating strong adoption and sustained usage over time. Features such as Live Bus Tracking, Bus Schedules, Digital Tickets/Passes, and Route Planning play a significant role in enhancing the overall commuting experience. The analysis shows that Route Planning is the most highly satisfying feature, reflecting its accuracy and utility for passengers. While users appreciate Live Bus Tracking and schedule updates, these features also received notable dissatisfaction, mainly due to occasional inaccuracies. Digital ticketing and Chalo Wallet services are moderately satisfactory but need improvements to ensure smooth and reliable transactions. Respondents highlighted key areas for improvement, particularly the accuracy of live bus tracking, followed by enhancing app speed, performance, and customer support options. These suggestions demonstrate a clear need for continuous technological improvements to boost user confidence and convenience. Overall, the findings indicate that the Chalo App has significantly contributed to making BEST travel more organized, convenient, and time-efficient. However, addressing the highlighted concerns will further strengthen commuter satisfaction and help BEST deliver more dependable and user-friendly digital transport services. References Journals: 1. Bhojwani, R., D’Lima, C., Agrawal, N. 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