A year ago, Indira’s daily commute relied on unpredictable bus waits and auto rides. In 2024, she shifted to Mysuru’s public bicycle sharing system, Trin Trin, purchasing a monthly pass after testing it for weeks.
Launched in 2017, Trin Trin was India’s first public bicycle sharing project, offering 500 cycles from 48 docking hubs near colleges, tourist areas, and the city centre. While tourists and students have adopted it, challenges remain.
Visitors Anurag Tripathi and Om Prakash Panda said they covered over 13 km daily on bicycles but faced app glitches and confusion while unlocking bikes. “The app doesn’t track the cycle, only the user. That makes it frustrating,” Panda noted.
City officials monitor daily ridership, which averages over 33,000 rides a month. However, the system’s growth has stalled. Mysuru has just 0.5 bicycles per 1,000 people—far lower than cities like Copenhagen or Antwerp. Efforts to create cycle lanes failed when bollards were removed by street vendors to create parking.
Public transport is also strained. Mysuru operates 438 diesel buses, with plans to add 160 e-buses, but many commuters report poor frequency and drivers skipping stops.
Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif acknowledged that rising vehicle ownership and a culture that treats car use as a status symbol undermine greener transport. “We must break this mindset,” he said.
Plans are underway to build continuous cycling lanes and expand Trin Trin with 500 new bicycles and 52 additional hubs, aiming to double coverage and encourage sustainable commuting.