In Bangalore You Are Stuck in Traffic for 243 Hours a Year – Change Comes With Tech

India’s Bangalore is the world’s most congested city. But startups are stepping in to provide a solution to the heavy traffic with the help of the city’s greatest asset: technology.

Commuters in the tech capital spent a total of around 243 hours on average each stuck in traffic last year with more than 8 million cars, up from 1.4 million in 2000. But one of the companies tackling this issue is Bounce, which rents out scooters for as little as around 19 cents an hour. The biggest benefit: four out of ten customers ride their scooters to or from the subway, reducing traffic on the road.

“This has a massive impact on reducing traffic and congestion,” explains CTO and co-founder Varun Agni, adding that the scooter-hire service encourages people to use public transport rather than using a car for the whole trip.

Another company aiming towards sustainable commuting is Quick Ride, which allows drivers to connect with passengers headed in a similar direction through its app, allowing them to fill their empty car seats and share the cost of the journey. The company operates in nine cities across India, including Bangalore, and aims to reduce the number of drivers and cars on the road through carpooling.