Nepali Ride-Sharing Platform Tootle is Back in Kathmandu

Tootle, the first ride-sharing platform in Nepal, announced its return in Kathmandu with a new management team.

After a brief hiatus, the homegrown ride-sharing platform resumed its service on September 6, 2023, introducing an all-new app and several improved services.

Tootle is now managed by Zapp Today, a Kathmandu-based delivery service company. The core management team of the company, comprising Zapp Services co-founders Rubik Joshi and Shreyas Krishna Shrestha, along with Managing Partner Keyush Shrestha, is responsible for overseeing the Tootle brand.

Located at Pulchowk, Lalitpur, the team currently consists of approximately 50 individuals distributed across various departments such as rider support, customer handling, technology, marketing, HR, and finance.

With the relaunch, Tootle aims to offer better service with an improved app, a better partner network, optimized routes, and enhanced safety measures.

“The sole reason behind the hiatus was for the new management to strategize, realign, and develop a brand-new application with new features, an improved UI/UX, and advanced technology,” said Rubik Joshi, co-founder and executive chairman of Zapp.

He added, “The new management’s primary focus during this break was to address all the issues that persisted in the previous run and to create an application that better serves our end users.”

Joshi shared with TechLekh that since the launch of the app to date, Tootle has had almost 5,000 riders registered and more than 20,000 customers on board.

Tootle has also exclusively partnered with Shikhar Insurance to offer insurance and safety coverage to drivers and customers. According to Joshi, in the event of an individual’s death or disablement while using Tootle’s services, they are insured for Rs. 1,000,000. Similarly, if an individual is hospitalized due to an accident while using Tootle’s services, they are insured for Rs. 200,000.

The Tootle app also includes a feature designed for businesses, known as ‘Tootle for Business.’ Admins have the capability to allocate balances to their designated team members to use the service for official purposes, simplifying expense tracking.

The new Tootle Driver App has been available for download and registration since September 1, 2023, while the Tootle customer app has been available for download since September 6, 2023.

During the first month, Tootle is applying a 15 percent commission to bike riders and a 12 percent commission to taxi drivers. After the initial month, the platform will modify its commission rates, increasing them to 20 percent for bike riders and 15 percent for taxi drivers, Joshi shared.

Tootle is now actively present on Facebook under the name ‘Tootle Np,’ while the old page is no longer in use. Furthermore, the previous domain name, www.tootle.today, now automatically redirects users to www.tootle.com.np.

“We are thrilled to reintroduce Tootle with a renewed passion for transforming urban commuting,” said Shreyas Krishna Shrestha, co-founder and CEO of Zapp.

“Our new management team has meticulously crafted an enhanced experience, putting user satisfaction and convenience at the forefront. Tootle’s resurgence represents our dedication to offering a superior ride-sharing service that truly understands and anticipates the needs of our valued users.”

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