The Government has rolled out Bharat Taxi as India’s first cooperative led ride hailing platform, marking a significant shift in the country’s mobility ecosystem by placing drivers at the centre of ownership governance and income generation, Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha.
Conceived as a key initiative under the broader vision of strengthening the cooperative sector and promoting inclusive citizen centric mobility, Bharat Taxi represents a structural departure from conventional aggregator based models by introducing a driver owned and democratically governed system.
Registered under the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act 2002, Bharat Taxi was established on June 6 2025 by eight national level cooperative institutions and officially launched on February 5 2026. The platform introduces a Sarathi owner model under which drivers are not merely service providers but shareholders in the cooperative, with representation in the Board of Management and a direct stake in profit sharing.
The initiative is designed to ensure that drivers retain a larger share of earnings through a zero commission framework. Unlike traditional ride aggregators that charge commissions, Bharat Taxi enables direct distribution of fare revenues to driver members after statutory deductions, thereby improving income stability and financial security.
The platform integrates a technology driven interface featuring real time vehicle tracking transparent fare structures multilingual user support and a user friendly mobile booking system. It also offers round the clock customer support and grievance redressal mechanisms, ensuring reliability and accountability in service delivery.
A key feature of the platform is its transparent pricing mechanism, which is determined by the cooperative society based on operational costs travel distance and prevailing market conditions. Fare structures are subject to periodic review and communicated to stakeholders to maintain fairness and predictability for both drivers and passengers.
To ensure professional standards and safety, driver members known as Sarathis are enrolled through a structured process. Applicants must be above 18 years of age possess valid driving licenses and comply with provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and other transport regulations. Digital onboarding is followed by mandatory training covering platform usage safety protocols and customer service practices before induction into the system.
The governance framework of Bharat Taxi is anchored in cooperative principles, with a Board of Directors elected by members ensuring democratic oversight. Notably, driver representatives are included on the Board, strengthening participatory decision making and aligning operational policies with the interests of Sarathis.
The platform also incorporates multiple layers of transparency and accountability, including real time ride tracking digital transaction records periodic financial audits and regulatory compliance under the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act. Passenger feedback systems and grievance mechanisms further reinforce service quality and user trust.
Bharat Taxi has also introduced a women centric feature called Sarthi Didi, aimed at encouraging women to join the platform as drivers while enhancing safety for women passengers. The feature allows users to opt for women driven taxis and is supported by safety tools such as SOS alerts live location sharing and continuous customer support.
Operationally, the service is currently available in Delhi NCR including Delhi Gurugram Noida Faridabad and Ghaziabad, as well as in key cities of Gujarat including Ahmedabad Rajkot Somnath and Dwarka. The platform has already registered 21.34 lakh users and onboarded 2.31 lakh Sarathis as of March 1 2026, indicating strong early adoption.
The Government has outlined an ambitious expansion roadmap, with plans to extend services to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and further down to tehsil levels across the country over the next three years. This phased rollout is expected to enhance accessibility of affordable mobility services in smaller towns while creating new livelihood opportunities.
In addition to operational expansion, Bharat Taxi is integrating with digital commerce and mobility ecosystems. The platform is interoperable with the Open Network for Digital Commerce, enabling its services to be accessed through platforms such as DigiHaat Bob Rides and OneTicket. This integration allows seamless connectivity between supply and demand platforms, expanding reach and usability.
The cooperative has also entered into partnerships with financial institutions and technology providers to enable digital payments banking services insurance coverage and other financial support systems for drivers, further strengthening welfare measures and operational resilience.
Importantly, the Government has clarified that no direct financial investment has been made in Bharat Taxi. The platform operates on cooperative principles by mobilising resources through share capital contributions membership fees and other permissible channels, ensuring a level playing field with private aggregators.
Amit Shah stated that Bharat Taxi is a transformative step towards building a fair equitable and driver centric mobility ecosystem that aligns with the vision of Sahkar se Samriddhi. He emphasised that the initiative not only enhances income opportunities and social security for drivers but also promotes transparency affordability and accountability in urban and semi urban transport systems.
The model is expected to redefine the ride hailing sector by combining digital innovation with cooperative ownership, creating a sustainable alternative that balances economic efficiency with social equity while supporting India’s broader goal of inclusive growth.
