A day in the life of a Bharat Taxi rider, what it’s actually like to ride with the cooperative Uber and Ola challenger
With 296% growth in two weeks, the government-backed service is booming on paper—but what is it like on the road?
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Bharat Taxi
A new ride-hailing service in India called Bharat Taxi was created as a cooperative-based substitute for well-known private taxi services like Ola, Uber, and Rapido. With the goal of providing more equitable terms for drivers and more transparent pricing for passengers, it was introduced with backing from significant cooperative organisations and the Ministry of Cooperation of the Government of India.
Leading Indian cooperatives including Amul, IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NAFED, NDDB, NCEL, and NCDC support the platform, which is run by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd., a multi-state cooperative registered in 2025. The cooperative's inclusive ownership approach is shown in the presence of two driver representatives on the board.
Tens of thousands of drivers have already registered with Bharat Taxi, which started pilot operations in Delhi in late 2025. A full commercial deployment is scheduled for early 2026, beginning in the nation's capital before spreading to other cities. With features like real-time car tracking, bilingual support, and round-the-clock customer service, its services include scheduling taxis, auto-rickshaws, and bike taxis using an intuitive mobile application.
Bharat Taxi's driver-centric business model is one of its main characteristics. Drivers on Bharat Taxi keep a bigger portion of their revenue and just pay a small membership fee to the cooperative, in contrast to many private aggregators who charge huge commissions.
Members receive a direct portion of any cooperative profit, which proponents claim could increase driver compensation and lessen the exploitation that comes with gig economy models.
The service prioritises clear fares for customers and works to prevent erratic surge pricing during busy times. According to preliminary studies, this strategy might provide more consistent and reasonably priced fares than certain current platforms.
All things considered, Bharat Taxi is a noteworthy experiment in the Indian transportation industry that combines digital technology and cooperative principles to challenge the dominance of commercial ride-hailing services and offer a more fair choice for both drivers and passengers.
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Centre To Launch 'Bharat Taxi' App In Delhi On Jan 1; Drivers To Get Over 80% Fare
In a significant move to curb surge pricing, the Government of India will launch the 'Bharat Taxi' app in Delhi from January 1st, 2026. India Today's Associate Editor Himanshu Mishra reports that the app, a central government initiative, ensures drivers receive 'more than 80% of the fare'. The pilot project has already seen over 56,000 drivers register, covering auto-rickshaws, cars, and bikes. The initiative aims to provide relief to commuters and break the monopoly of private aggregators like Ola and Uber.