We intend to build an open source auto-rickshaw service and mobile phone application. This particular repository is intended to do research on the overall idea of the service, how it will function and how it will be financially sustainable.
The idea came a few years ago when I was looking at co-operatives and other structures as more fair or equitable modes of organization. I was also interested in developing something for auto-rickshaw drivers since I frequently used them. At that point as Androids and smartphones were not as ubiquitous I began developing the application on J2ME.
My goal was simple. Instead of trying to build a company that would own the proprietary software, systems and everything else and where the auto-rickshaw drivers would be working for the company one way or another. I would build an open-source application and service which could be run by any union or co-operative. I was trying to figure out ways in which the service could be run which would be able to sustain itself as well as to sustain the services of one or more developers who could continue to maintain and support the open-source application and service.
Currently I am seeing some discussions around platform co-operatives which seems to fit the broader goals of this project.