Bharat Taxi launches Delhi Pilot with 51,000+ drivers, sets stage to challenge Ola and Uber

Bharat Taxi has begun its pilot operation in Delhi with over 51,000 registered drivers, introducing a zero-commission, driver-owned ride-hailing model aimed at offering fair fares and reshaping India’s mobility landscape.

Bharat Taxi, which launched this week, is not a venture of a corporate-owned aggregator, but the platform of Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd, a multi-state cooperative society registered under the MSCS Act of 2002. Supported by eight major cooperatives including Amul, IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NAFED, NDDB, NCEL, NCDC and NABARD, the platform aims to bring forth a more equitable driver-led alternative to ride-hailing. Let’s take a closer look at the features of this taxi cooperative which has been kickstarted in the national capital Delhi and is currently open for registrations in some parts of Gujarat too.

Supported by Indian government and an array of powerful cooperatives, the taxi collective hopes to build a transparent ecosystem for drivers, by keeping fares fixed and zeroing on commission. More importantly, the app-based service will offer the ride-hailing space its first national mobility service completely owned and operated by drivers.

Highlights: Some standout features of the Bharat Taxi mobile app for commuters and taxi drivers

Commission-free rides: In a move designed to ensure equitable benefit distribution, drivers will be able to keep the entire amount paid by the rider as a fare. The cooperative will collect a share from its members and all the profit will be equally divided among them.

Wide-ranging fleet and modes: While starting off with the cab service in the national capital, the pilot would also cover auto-rickshaws and bikes, and address the wide spectrum of commuter needs.

Supports multi-modal transport: According to sources, the taxi aggregator would provide comprehensive support for multi-modal, end-to-end mobility planning. In other words, commuters can plan a ride that combines e.g. cab + metro, using the same app.

A user-first approach: The mobile application would provide all the typical features of a ride-hailing app such as clear calculation of fare, live tracking of vehicles, multilingual UI and 24/7 customer support. At the same time, it would ensure safety of both commuters and drivers through verified onboarding process.

Safety: Riding with Delhi Police, the cooperative also claims to have a safety tie-up with the Delhi Police to help with overall safety parameters. For commuters and drivers alike, this is a crucial factor that would go a long way in determining user sentiment.

The Pilot: What to expect so far, from Delhi & Gujarat

As of now, Delhi will be the first city where Bharat Taxi would be providing its services on-ground, with the ride-hailing app also open for driver registrations in some areas of Gujarat.

During a launch event, Chairman of the cooperative and MD of Amul’s parent dairy, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF), Jayen Mehta confirmed the overwhelming response to Bharat Taxi. Talking to the media, Mehta said, “We have more than 20,000 bookings in just two days.”

Speaking of the motive behind the taxi aggregator, Mehta stated during discussions in parliament recently, “The initiative is aimed at freeing commercial vehicle drivers who work with private ride-hailing companies of their exploitation.”

Why We Care: What it could mean for cab drivers, commuters & others

For drivers: Drivers could soon have the opportunity to enjoy not just the benefits, but the ownership, control and dignity that come with it, instead of being subject to various gig-economy algorithms, presences and commission fees.

For riders: It could soon become a more transparent, predictable and possibly cheaper alternative to ride-hailing cabs in cities, with no surge pricing and fixed fares, also supported with multimodal travel.

On the whole: It could potentially shake up the space and force companies such as Ola Cabs, Uber (read even Rapido) to revise business models and offerings, if the cooperative model works in practice and is able to scale well.

Of course, this remains to be seen – as with any pilot program, the uptake and success of the platform would be determined by app performance and navigation features, reliability of ride-matching and pickup, driver commitment and overall consumer sentiment and user adoption.

Wrapping Up

The launch of Bharat Taxi is indeed an interesting development in India’s mobility space, and can perhaps be considered the first step towards building a fairer ecosystem for all stakeholders, from the ground up. A collective ride-hailing service owned and operated by drivers, instead of venture capitalists and investors could well become the new face of Indian ride-hailing – the mobile application might soon be a go-to option for both commuters and cab drivers looking for more equitable fares and dignity.

For a country and a community in search of a more driver-led model of ride-hailing, one that puts safety and fairness before algorithms and control, the cooperative experiment has come at the right time and would be something to keep an eye on, for some time to come.