The Indian government has launched Bharat Taxi, the country’s first cooperative taxi service, to compete directly with private operators like Ola and Uber. The service, developed under the Union Ministry of Cooperation and the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), aims to give drivers full control over their earnings while providing passengers with a government-supervised alternative. For years, passengers have complained about issues with app-based taxis — including unclean vehicles, high fares, sudden cancellations, and surge pricing. Drivers have also been frustrated with high commission charges, sometimes losing up to 25% of their fares. Bharat Taxi will eliminate commissions, instead using a membership-based model where drivers pay a nominal daily, weekly, or monthly fee, allowing them to keep more of their earnings. The pilot phase starts in November 2025 in Delhi with 650 vehicles and their owner-drivers. If successful, the service will expand in December to other major cities. Initially, 5,000 drivers, both men and women, will join the nationwide rollout. Over the next year, Bharat Taxi plans to extend to 20 cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Bhopal, Lucknow, and Jaipur. By March 2026, the government aims to establish operations in multiple metro areas, and by 2030, the platform expects to include 100,000 drivers, covering district headquarters and rural regions. The service will be operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd, established in June 2025 with an initial capital of Rs 300 crore.
