As private cab aggregators face growing criticism from both commuters and drivers, the Indian government has unveiled a bold new initiative – Bharat Taxi – the country’s first cooperative-based ride-hailing service. The platform represents a crucial shift in how India’s urban mobility will function, aiming to put drivers at the centre while ensuring safe, transparent, and affordable travel for passengers.​

A New Chapter in Public Mobility

Developed under the collaboration of the Ministry of Cooperation and the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Bharat Taxi will begin its pilot operations in Delhi in November 2025, before a nationwide launch in December. The cooperative has already onboarded around 650 drivers for the Delhi phase, with plans to expand to more than 5,000 drivers across 20 cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Bhopal, Lucknow, and Jaipur by mid-2026.​

This initiative comes as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader “Sahkar se Samriddhi” (prosperity through cooperation) vision, which promotes the cooperative model across different sectors. The central government hopes the move will not only challenge the stranglehold of private ride-hailing companies like Ola and Uber but also correct many of the systemic issues that have plagued the gig economy.​

The Revolutionary Driver-Centric Model

The heart of Bharat Taxi lies in its driver-first ideology. Unlike private aggregators that often charge drivers commissions as high as 25%, Bharat Taxi operates on a zero-commission model. Drivers will instead pay a small subscription or membership fee to the cooperative on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. This structure means drivers retain 100 percent of their fare income, ensuring sustained livelihoods and dignity in work.​

The cooperative, Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, was formally registered earlier this year with an authorised capital of Rs 300 crore. Eight key cooperatives and financial bodies — including the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), Amul, and NABARD — have collectively contributed around Rs 80 crore as initial capital. This diversified ownership structure allows for both professional governance and democratic participation.​

Women will play a prominent role in this ecosystem. Female drivers, known as “Sarthis”, will receive free training, special insurance, and subsidised vehicle loans under the cooperative’s inclusivity programme. The government aims to have around 15,000 women drivers by 2030, a remarkable push towards gender equality in public transport.​

Governance, Technology and Vision

Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of the Amul brand under the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), has been elected Chairman of Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited. Rohit Gupta, Deputy Managing Director of NCDC, has been named the Vice Chairman. Notably, the board also includes two elected driver representatives – a democratic inclusion never before seen in India’s mobility sector.​

Bharat Taxi is not just a cooperative on paper; it is firmly anchored in technology. Its mobile app, available in English, Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati, is scheduled to go live in November 2025. The app will integrate seamlessly with India’s e-governance ecosystem, including DigiLocker, UMANG, and API Setu, ensuring secure authentication and transparent transactions. The cooperative will also uphold strict data protection and cybersecurity standards as mandated by the Government of India.​

For passengers, the service promises consistent and fair pricing, verified drivers, and improved safety features. The app will allow real-time tracking, quick grievance redressal, and multi-language accessibility. In contrast to algorithm-driven surge pricing, the cooperative has committed to maintaining rational fare structures that prioritise affordability and fairness.​

A Road Toward Equitable Mobility

The establishment of Bharat Taxi marks an important milestone in India’s cooperative movement. It signals the government’s intent to balance the digital economy’s benefits with social fairness and worker empowerment. By 2030, the cooperative aims to deploy over one lakh drivers across both urban and semi-rural regions, bridging mobility gaps with a model that values people over profit.​

Through this transformative step, Bharat Taxi promises more than just cleaner cars or smoother rides. It stands as a pioneering experiment in collective ownership, digital governance, and economic justice, one that might finally steer India’s mobility sector toward a more equitable and sustainable future.

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