When DriveU was launched 10 years ago, the idea wasn’t what it is today. We wanted to launch  a parking aggregation startup – an “Airbnb for parking” – where people could rent out unused spaces for short or long durations. But after speaking to car owners and a thorough research, we realised that their bigger challenge wasn’t parking. It was the everyday task of moving from point A to point B.

That’s when we pivoted to driver aggregation. And just like that, DriveU was born.

Back in 2015, India had no real precedent for on-demand drivers, so also in the West which a majority of Indian startups tend to mimic. While countries like China and South Korea had already seen successful models, we were starting fresh. The last decade has been an intense learning curve, filled with wins, misses, and most importantly, lessons we learned by doing.

And here we are today: 9 million trips later, hundreds of thousands of happy customers, tens of thousands of satisfied driver partners and countless heartwarming stories.

This milestone is as much about reflection as it is about celebration. Here are some of our biggest learnings along the way:

Focus on Customer Delight

In any business, you’re only as good as your customers think you are. At DriveU, we hustle for every booking and every issue, because every customer, driver partner and ride matters.

One thing we learned early on: unlike most mobility services, we’re inside our customers’ cars. Their car isn’t just a vehicle; it’s personal and precious. That trust comes with responsibility.

Sometimes things go wrong, but our commitment has always been to make them right. We listen, we adapt, and we keep improving. That’s why our 24x7 live support team is built right into the app with a simple chat feature, avoiding the hassle of phone calls. Our operations team also plays a huge role in this. 

Our team is filled with passionate people who put customer experience at the heart of everything. And it shows: in our customer retention, with repeat bookings growing steadily over time.

​Read More: Safety at Every Turn: Before, During & After Your DriveU Ride​

Don’t Overpromise, Deliver Consistently

It’s tempting to promise the impossible like guaranteeing a driver in under 30 minutes every time, every where. But that’s not how you build a business for the long run.

We’ve learned to set expectations that are ambitious yet sustainable. Technology helps us match drivers to customers faster, but we’re also exploring smarter solutions. One example: foldable e-cycles for our driver partners, so they can move around the city quickly and affordably.

The goal is clear: keep improving efficiencies everywhere in our process, being on time without overpromising.

Read More: We are celebrating a decade. Happy Birthday DriveU!

Drivers Are Just as Important as Customers

Our driver-partners aren’t just service providers; they’re partners in every sense. Their growth fuels ours.

Today, more than 1 lakh driver-partners are on the platform. A regular working partner with DriveU can earn up to Rs 50,000 per month, on par with or even higher than entry-level white-collar salaries in retail or administration.

Interestingly, nearly 70% of our partners are part-timers. That flexibility makes DriveU attractive for those who want supplemental income or control over their working hours. In a country where formal jobs can be rigid and low-paying, our model has given drivers both dignity and autonomy.

Read More: What 'Keys to Us, Freedom to You' Really Means for You

Continuous Improvement Is Non-Negotiable

The on-demand driver business is dynamic. Improvement is never a one-time thing — it’s continuous.

Small gains, even half a percent in retention, compound over time. The challenge is balancing the many moving parts of the business without compromising sustainability. We believe in Kaizen - for us, nothing is ever “done.” There’s always room to do it better.

Lastly, 9 million trips isn’t just a number, it’s millions of journeys made safer, easier, and more convenient because of you, our customers and partners.

To every rider who trusted us with their car, to every driver who put on the green polo and got behind the wheel: thank you! You’ve helped DriveU not just reach this milestone, but build an entire category from the ground up.

Here’s to the next 9 million trips and beyond.