The story changed with a tweet. Just scrolling through Twitter on a lazy rainy day, a tweet caught Shubham's eye: "I booked a flight from Pune to Bangalore for Rs 3,500. And then, a cab from Bangalore airport to my house for Rs 2,000. "

A problem to be solved

A tech enthusiast, Shubham kept this idea in mind for days, thinking that there should be a better solution to this and the situation should change where one has to pay so much to travel to the airport. Like other services, he wanted to make airport travel affordable and safe for all. To understand how big the problem is, he spoke to several people, including strangers at the airport. Almost everyone has the same complaint: cab rides are too expensive.

Taking action

That's when I decided to take action. He envisioned an app that would allow people to share their cab rides with others going the same route (for now, it's only for airports) This will reduce costs by up to 50% and make airport transfers easier and more efficient.

Although Shubham has good technical skills and has worked in a couple of start-ups as a software engineer, it's not easy to create something from scratch. All it takes is time, energy, and money. Shubham was working at a start-up at the time and tried to balance his work with his new project. But soon, he realized that his dream needed his full attention. After much deliberation, he quit his job and poured his heart, time and savings into his idea.

Creating QuickReach

With the help of some friends, Shubham developed the app for users and drivers. He spent countless hours with drivers and users to make sure the app functions worked as expected. It was a challenging journey that consumed almost all of his savings and time. But he was adamant. All that hard work paid off. QuickReach is now operational in Bangalore and is getting a lot of appreciation from the users.

As the company grew, he was joined by two of his close friends, Aman Mishra and Pulkit. Aman and Pulkit are former founders and bring their unique perspectives to the team. They have a remarkable combined experience of more than ten years in manufacturing and managing consumer tech products. This extensive experience has improved the company, and they have been able to significantly contribute to the development and management of innovative consumer technology products.

Getting the first user.

With MVP ready, Shubham faced the real test: onboarding drivers, attracting customers, and ensuring their safety. Inspired by Paul Graham's advice to recruit users manually, Shubham hired a cab and looked for users at bus stands and metro stations and asked if they were travelling to the airport. After hours of effort, he found his first customer near the Tin Factory bus stand.

How does QuickReach work?

"Our aim is to provide hassle-free cab booking for airport pick-ups and drop-offs providing a great travel experience at affordable rates through our shared cab platform. We are focusing on airport travel right now, but we also want to serve customers for intercity and intracity travel, "Shubham explained.

QuicReach എങ്ങനെ ഉപയോഗിക്കാം:

Download: The app is available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Sign up: You can sign in with your mobile number and a few personal information.

Schedule your ride: Enter your pickup and drop times along with your flight details.

Pre-Payment: Pay up to 25% in advance to schedule your ride.

Once a user books a ride, QuickReach's system looks for similar bookings and combines them into a shared ride. Verified drivers can receive ride notifications and receive rides based on their availability. Users will be notified with driver details to communicate directly.

QuickReach maintains a 2-hour buffer to prevent last-minute cancellations. As a result, it has a cancellation rate of less than 2%, which is better than any other platform.

Price and reliability

Unlike other ride-hailing services, where rates go up, down, and platform fees are charged, QuickReach offers rides that are more than 50% cheaper.

QuickReach's shared rides for airport travel can be enjoyed for as low as ₹400, and an individual ride for ₹650.

Business model

QuickReach's business model focuses on fairness and affordability. This ensures fair wages for drivers and protects customers from unpredictable pricing. The shared cab system fosters a sense of community and reduces costs.

The revenue comes from maintaining a small percentage of each ride shared, ensuring sustainability at an affordable price for customers.

"We started in January 2024 and have served over 10,000 users since then. We have completed more than 2,000 trips and our customers have saved more than ₹20 lakh and reduced more than 1,000 kg of CO2 emissions. Despite the challenges, our dedication has resulted in a steady organic growth of 50% per month. We have also onboarded over 500 drivers in Bangalore, "says Shubham with pride.

Shubham's journey from a casual tweeter to creating a thriving startup is a testament to his determination and innovative spirit. QuickReach isn't just an app; it's a solution that makes airport travel affordable and convenient for thousands of people. As QuickReach continues to grow, it is expected to change the way people think about airport transportation.