Mode shares are an important indicator of the role that auto-rickshaws play in meeting the daily mobility needs of urban citizens.  Based on data available for a few cities, EMBARQ India’s analysis shows that auto-rickshaws serve between 10-20% of motorized road transport trips in these cities.  Further, it is observed that auto-rickshaws constitute a small share of the total vehicle mix (between 2 -11%) while they account for relatively higher mode shares, thus highlighting the fact that auto-rickshaws as an intermediate public transport mode serve many passenger trips per day, thereby contributing to reducing congestion, compared to private motor vehicles, which are used by fewer passengers, and remain idle for long hours.  
This chart appears in EMBARQ India's publication, Sustainable Urban Transport in India - Role of the Auto-Rickshaw Sector. View the publication to access more charts/graphs from this project.