Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah is set to introduce Bharat Taxi, India’s inaugural ride-hailing service app based on a cooperative model. This initiative, backed by the government, aims to provide an alternative to established players like Uber, Ola, and Rapido. Operated by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited and supported by the Ministry of Cooperation, Bharat Taxi is a driver-owned mobility service that initially offers a zero-commission model, ensuring that 100 percent of ride payments go directly to drivers.
The Ministry of Cooperation highlighted that Bharat Taxi, also known as a driver as Sarathis, is designed to liberate drivers from exploitative aggregator-based systems. The platform sets a minimum fare of Rs 30 for up to 4 km, Rs 23 per km for 4-12 km, and Rs 18 per km for rides exceeding 12 km. Bharat Taxi also integrates with public transit services like the Metro, enabling users to plan and complete journeys involving multiple modes of transport through a single app.
In its initial phase, Bharat Taxi ensures that all ride payments are transferred directly to drivers. However, in the future, the cooperative may retain a fee of approximately 20 percent, which will be redistributed to drivers as incentives. Unlike existing platforms, Bharat Taxi plans to steer clear of surge pricing, although dynamic pricing may be implemented in specific scenarios. Over 150 women drivers have already joined Bharat Taxi, with a surge in registrations, witnessing around 40,000 to 45,000 new users signing up daily over the past two days.
The Ministry of Cooperation disclosed that Bharat Taxi has garnered over four lakh registered customers, as per a post on the social media platform X in January. The app, available on both Android and iOS, has secured the ninth position on the Google Play Store and the thirteenth spot on Apple’s App Store. Safety features of the app include options to alert emergency contacts, contact a safety team, and activate a siren within the app. The registration process is simple, requiring only basic details like a mobile number, name, and email address. Bharat Taxi also intends to establish dedicated pickup and drop zones at airports, similar to Ola and Uber, with plans for expansion to other transport hubs in the future.
