- By Prateek Levi
- Thu, 05 Feb 2026 07:27 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India now has its first government-backed, cooperative ride-hailing app, and it’s officially live across the country. Called Bharat Taxi, the app has been launched by the Ministry of Cooperation and is operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited. Union Minister Amit Shah flagged off the nationwide rollout on February 5, 2026, after months of pilot testing in regions such as Delhi-NCR.
The idea behind Bharat Taxi is fairly straightforward. Instead of a private company running the platform and taking a cut from every ride, the app is owned and managed by the drivers themselves.
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So, what is Bharat Taxi really about?
Bharat Taxi works on a cooperative model, meaning drivers are not treated as gig workers but as stakeholders. The app allows users to book cabs, autos, and bike taxis, much like Ola or Uber, but without the usual commissions that drivers complain about.
The government’s pitch is simple: remove the middleman and let both passengers and drivers benefit.
No commission, no surge pricing
What immediately sets Bharat Taxi apart is its zero-commission policy. Drivers get the entire fare, with no percentage cut going to the platform. There’s also no surge pricing, which means fares don’t suddenly spike during peak hours or bad weather.
Prices are shown upfront, with no hidden charges, something regular app users will instantly appreciate.
How is this different from Ola and Uber?
Most private ride-hailing platforms charge drivers 20 to 30 percent commission on each ride. Bharat Taxi does not charge anything, at least for now.
Drivers also get additional support in the form of ₹5 lakh accident insurance and health coverage for their families, benefits that are rare in the gig economy.
Want to drive for Bharat Taxi?
Signing up as a driver is fairly simple. Drivers need to download the Bharat Taxi Driver app, register using their mobile number, and upload basic documents like their driving licence and vehicle RC.
Verification is done digitally through DigiLocker, along with police checks. Once approved, drivers can start accepting rides.
What about safety, especially for women?
Safety has been given special focus. The app includes live tracking, an SOS button, and direct coordination with the police. There’s also the Bike Didi initiative and options for women passengers to be matched with female drivers, wherever possible.
All drivers on the platform are police verified, which adds another layer of reassurance.
Booking a ride is familiar
For users, the experience isn’t very different from existing apps. Download the app, register with your phone number, enter pickup and drop locations, choose between cab, auto, or bike, check the fare, and confirm the ride.
Early traction looks encouraging
Bharat Taxi is already clocking over 10,000 rides a day and has more than 3 lakh registered drivers. While it’s still early days, the numbers suggest strong interest, especially from drivers looking for better earnings.
The bigger question
Whether Bharat Taxi can truly challenge established players like Ola and Uber remains to be seen. Scaling a cooperative platform nationwide won’t be easy. But for now, it offers a very different approach to ride-hailing, one that puts drivers first and keeps pricing predictable for users.
At the very least, it gives both drivers and passengers another option, and that in itself is a step forward.