The central government has announced the launch of Bharat Taxi, the country’s first large-scale cooperative cab service, designed to take on private ride hailing giants such as Ola and Uber.
The pilot is scheduled for next month in Delhi with approximately 650 driver-owned vehicles.
What Is Bharat Taxi And How It Works
Bharat Taxi will operate under a cooperative model via Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd, wherein drivers become members and part-owners rather than simply contractors.
Instead of private-platforms that typically take 25–40 % of fare earnings in commissions, this model asks drivers to pay a modest membership fee and lets them keep the bulk of their income.
For passengers, the platform promises transparent fares, no unexpected surge pricing, and support for several Indian languages via its app.
Why Bharat Taxi Could Disrupt India’s Cab Market
Both commuters and drivers have long voiced grievances against existing app-based services: arbitrary surge fares, frequent cancellations, and high commission bites for drivers.
Bharat Taxi enters the market as a solution. With drivers retaining more of their earnings and passengers enjoying fairer pricing and reliably better service, the cooperative model offers a meaningful alternative.
The governing council will include recognized cooperative-sector leaders such as Jayen Mehta (Managing Director of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation) and Rohit Gupta (Deputy Managing Director of the National Cooperative Development Corporation) to oversee the platform.
Launch & Expansion Plans
The pilot phase is set for November 2025 in Delhi with around 650 owner-drivers. The full rollout is planned for December, aiming to reach about 5,000 drivers initially and expand to up to 20 cities including Mumbai, Pune, Bhopal, Lucknow and Jaipur. By 2030, the target is 100,000 drivers, including rural and district-level operations.
