Start-up firm StanPlus is planning to add 3,000 ambulances with advance life support (ALS) system in three years across 30 cities in India with a cumulative investment of around Rs 900 crore, a top official of the company said. StanPlus co-founder and CEO Prabhdeep Singh told PTI that with the expansion of healthcare infrastructure, the need for standard and transparent ambulances will grow, and the company is looking to be market leader as the demand increases.
“In the next six months, we want to have 100 new ALS ambulances and by March, we will have total of 500 ambulance. Next year, we want to put 1,000 ambulances. In three years, we want to put 3,000 ambulances, which means 100 ambulances each in 30 cities,” Singh said. He added that each ambulance comes for around Rs 30 lakh. Out of 100 ambulances that StanPlus is planning to add in the next six months, the company will directly buy 15 ALS ambulance and the rest will be added through a franchise partner.
The company operates fleet in the name of red ambulances that can be booked online or through phone. It has services in Raipur, Hyderabad and Bengaluru at present. “The company has grown over three-fold in terms of revenue, and the number of ambulances has grown from 20 to 125. We are expanding. We will go in multiple cities. We will be there in all metros in the next few quarters.
“Delhi today needs a great ambulance system. We want to be that player in the six months. We will have our service in Delhi and Mumbai before September,” Singh said. The company will add next 100 ALS ambulances by directly investing for buying 15 ambulances and the rest will be through franchisee model. “We help partners first purchase ambulances, then outfit it with equipment, then give them demand. We also help them in managing drivers, paramedics, etc,” Singh said.
He added that there needs to be regulations to control ambulance operators, and the country needs to get rid of fly-by-night operators who have resorted to black marketing at the time of the pandemic. Patient attendants have complained on social media that private ambulances are charging in the range of Rs 25,000-Rs 50,000 for travelling within city.
“We don’t want employment loss for private operators as well. We want them to join as our franchisee. We will train them, increase the customer satisfaction score, give them demand, etc. “At the same time, we want to ensure that the pricing is transparent and also lower than any blackmarketing that is currently happening,” Singh said.
He said that a lot of travels and tours firms are shut including road transport and office conveyance, which has increased supply of drivers than the total demand for ambulance drivers. “A lot of drivers are out there in market looking for jobs. You have to have recruitment and training process for them. If you do that then there are enough drivers who are looking for jobs today. In fact, there are supply of drivers available than demand,” Singh said.
