Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah kicked off 'Bharat Taxi' on Thursday, calling it India’s first ride-hailing platform run by cooperatives. This came after they tested things out for two months with a pilot. Right now, you will find Bharat Taxi in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat.
The plan is to roll out the services across the country in the next two years. Shah said they want to see it reach every corner of India, from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari and Dwarka to Kamakhya, all within three years.
Here’s something different:
- Drivers actually share in the profits at Bharat Taxi.
- When you book a ride, you can pick from cars, three-wheelers or even two-wheelers.
Currently, companies like Uber, Ola, and Rapido control most of the ride-hailing market here. Bharat Taxi is registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, and it officially started on June 6, 2025. There are no commissions or surge prices—drivers get their share of the profits directly.
Bharat Taxi – About the new Indian taxi service
The cooperation ministry says Bharat Taxi is now both the world’s first and largest cooperative-based ride-hailing platform, and the biggest mobility platform owned by drivers. Since launching the pilot, more than 3 lakh drivers have signed up, over 1 lakh users have registered, and in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat, people are booking over 10,000 rides every day.
Backed by eight top cooperative organisations, the platform began pilot operations on December 2 in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat, challenging established players like Ola, Uber and Rapido.
Eight major cooperative organisations have joined forces to back this. The pilot started in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat back in December, taking on giants like Ola, Uber and Rapido.
According to the ministry, Bharat Taxi is not just the first cooperative-driven ride app, but it’s already the world’s biggest driver-owned mobility platform.
Over 300,000 drivers have signed up for Bharat Taxi
And people are showing interest in the homegrown taxi service. As per the reports, more than 300,000 drivers have been signed up, more than 100,000 users have registered, and drivers are giving more than 10,000 rides per day in Delhi-NCR as well as in Gujarat.
Benefits for the drivers:
- So far, drivers have earned direct payouts of around Rs 10 crore.
Benefits for the riders and drivers:
The platform provides:
- Emergency assistance
- Verified ride data
- Enable drivers to work on other platforms without exclusivity clauses.
The platform puts drivers—called 'Sarathis'—at the centre, offering health and accident insurance, retirement savings, and a strong support system. They’ve set up support centres at seven spots in Delhi to help out.
Inputs from PTI