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Amit Shah Launches Bharat Taxi, India's First Cooperative Ride-Hailing App

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has launched Bharat Taxi, India's first ride-hailing service based on a cooperative model. The app, operated by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited, follows a zero-commission model where 100% of payments initially go directly to drivers. It plans to avoid surge pricing, integrates with public transit, and has already crossed 400,000 registered users with strong daily sign-ups. The service is positioned as a government-backed alternative to established players like Uber and Ola.

Key Points: Bharat Taxi: India's First Cooperative Ride-Hailing App Launched

  • Driver-owned cooperative model
  • Zero commission for drivers initially
  • No surge pricing planned
  • Integrated public transit planning
  • Over 4 lakh registered users already
2 min read

India's first cooperative‑model ride‑hailing app Bharat Taxi set for launch today

Union Minister Amit Shah launches Bharat Taxi, a driver-owned, zero-commission app challenging Uber and Ola with fair pricing and safety features.

"The platform will free drivers, referred to as Sarathis, from exploitative aggregator-based models. - Ministry of Cooperation"

Mumbai, Feb 5

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday will launch Bharat Taxi, India's first ride‑hailing service application based on a co-operative model.

The minister will unveil the application as a government‑backed alternative to established players such as Uber, Ola, and Rapido.

Supported by the Ministry of Cooperation and operated by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited, Bharat Taxi is being promoted as a driver‑owned mobility service that follows a zero‑commission model in its initial phase, with 100 percent of ride payments going directly to drivers.

The Ministry of Cooperation said the platform will free drivers, referred to as Sarathis, from exploitative aggregator-based models.

The minimum fare for up to 4 km is Rs 30; 4-12 km at Rs 23 per km, and rides beyond 12 km are priced at Rs 18 per km.

Similar to other aggregators, Bharat Taxi also integrates with public transit services such as the Metro, allowing users to plan and complete journeys involving multiple modes of transport through a single app.

In the initial phase, 100 per cent of ride payments will go directly to drivers. At a later stage, the cooperative may retain a fee of around 20 per cent, which it says will be redistributed to drivers in the form of incentives.

Unlike existing platforms, Bharat Taxi plans to avoid surge pricing, although dynamic pricing may be applied in specific situations.

According to the Ministry of Cooperation, over 150 women drivers have joined Bharat Taxi so far.

The app experiences a surge in registrations, with around 40,000 to 45,000 new users signing up every day over the past two days.

According to a post by the Ministry of Cooperation on the social media platform X in January, Bharat Taxi has already crossed four lakh registered customers.

The app available on both Android and iOS was ranked ninth on the Google Play Store and thirteenth on Apple's App Store.

Safety features also include options to alert emergency contacts, reach a safety team, and activate a siren from within the app.

The sign-up process requires only basic details like a mobile number, name, and email address.

Similar to Ola and Uber, Bharat Taxi plans dedicated pickup and drop zones at airports, with expansion to other transport hubs in the future.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
As a frequent user, I'm excited to try this. The integration with public transit is a smart move for cities like Mumbai and Delhi. No surge pricing is a major plus if they can stick to it.
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Priya S
Great to see over 150 women drivers already! Safety features sound robust. As a woman who travels alone often, this could be a more trustworthy option. Will download and support our 'Sarathis'.
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Aman W
The idea is good, but execution is key. What about app reliability and driver availability? Ola/Uber have years of experience. Hope this doesn't end up like other govt apps that crash often. 🤞
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Vikram M
Driver-owned model is the need of the hour. My cousin drives for Ola and barely makes ends meet after their commissions. If Bharat Taxi delivers on its promises, it will be a revolution for gig workers.
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Karthik V
The fares seem competitive. Rs 30 for 4km is reasonable. But the later 20% fee is concerning. They say it will be redistributed, but transparency will be crucial. Hope they don't become what they aim to replace.
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Michael C
Interesting to see a cooperative model in the tech space. The user growth numbers are

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