Zero-commission app puts drivers in charge, aims to break aggregator dominance
BuzzBytes | New Delhi | February 4, 2026
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will on February 5 launch ‘Bharat Taxi’, India’s first cooperative-sector ride-hailing platform, at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, marking a major push towards driver-owned mobility in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’.
The platform, registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, has been designed as an indigenous alternative to foreign-funded aggregator models, placing drivers—referred to as Sarathis—at the centre of ownership, operations and profit-sharing. Operating on a zero-commission and surge-free pricing model, Bharat Taxi allows direct distribution of profits to drivers and gives them the freedom to work on other platforms without exclusivity clauses.
At the launch event, Shah will honour the top six performing Sarathis who joined during the platform’s soft launch. They will be given share certificates, reinforcing the principle of “Sarathi hi Malik”, along with personal accident insurance cover of ₹5 lakh and family health insurance cover of ₹5 lakh each. The programme will also witness the exchange of nine MoUs with public and private partners to strengthen operational integration, digital enablement, safety systems and service delivery.
Conceptualised under the Ministry of Cooperation, Bharat Taxi is positioned as a driver-first mobility initiative focused on employment generation, social security and grassroots economic participation. The platform offers benefits such as health and accident insurance, retirement savings options and a dedicated driver support system. Support centres are currently operational at seven locations in Delhi, offering on-ground assistance, while the app provides rapid emergency support and verified ride data.
With a focus on women’s empowerment, initiatives like ‘Bike Didi’ have brought more than 150 women drivers onto the platform so far. Since its launch in June 2025, Bharat Taxi has grown rapidly, with over three lakh drivers onboarded, more than one lakh registered users and around 10,000 rides being completed daily across Delhi-NCR and Gujarat. About ₹10 crore has already been distributed directly to drivers, officials said.
The platform describes itself as the world’s first and largest cooperative-based ride-hailing service and the largest driver-owned mobility network globally. Over 1,200 Sarathis from different parts of the country are expected to attend the launch, reflecting growing national interest in the cooperative mobility model.
In the next two years, Bharat Taxi plans to expand operations to all states and major cities, set up dedicated support centres nationwide, deepen drivers’ social security cover and integrate more closely with India’s digital public infrastructure to build a sustainable, inclusive and cooperative-led mobility ecosystem.
