Share autos are a boon to commuters. With cheap rates, comfortable frequency, various stops, this mode of transportation is quite popular in lot areas of the city. But the most commonly found share auto route is the T.Nagar - Thirumangalam route & LIC - Golden Flats route. Next follows the deep suburban areas like Porur and Madipakkam etc connected well to the city through this means. Even the outskirts like M.G.M, Mayajaal, Kelambakkam are now easily accessible through share autos. They stop at public bus stands flanking the buses. There are no fixed stopping points in Chennai for share autos. A share auto can comfortably carry eight people and during peak hours, 12-15 people 'adjust' themselves into it.

Anna Nagar has become the nucleus for 'share autos', with public transport having become treacherously over-crowded and call taxis and auto's being just too costly for use on an every day basis. The share auto is now quite popular, having made a place for itself among commuters. Office commuters find this version more economical since the fare is shared by more people. Competition among 'share' auto-wallahs has led to the virtual standardization of fare per passenger based on their destination. Shared autos vary in both name and size from place to place

Since the seating capacity in the share auto is larger, fares are much less than the ordinary auto and should ideally be a solution to traffic management problem. . "The share auto is not crowded always. Only during peak hours do 14-15 people get into a share auto. I go by share auto despite the crowd as it stops near my place - this is convenient since there is no direct bus from my house to college." Says Devika , a student.

The ordinary autos are the ones directly affected by the advent of share autos. As Aarumugam, an autorickshaw driver grieves, "Autorickshaws are always the best mode of transport as we can drop people at their doorstep. When it comes to convenience and safety full autos are the best. Share autos are taking a major portion of our daily income because of lower rates. "

Iyappan , a regular share auto commuter says, "I do agree that share autos are useful but they are over-crowded. The rates are also foxed. So I don't have to waste time on bargaining. It takes only Rs.13 to reach Blue Star from Gemini. I prefer share auto when I travel alone. But with family full autos are the best suited"

SOWJANYA.S