New Delhi: Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched Bharat Taxi, the country’s first co-operative-run ride-hailing platform, which will start services in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat initially and pan-India in the next three years.
Bharat Taxi platform, which has been established by India’s top eight co-operative organistions including dairy major Amul, will enhance drivers’ income significantly, besides giving them ownership, the minister highlighted.
Addressing an event after formally launching the service, Shah said the rival ride-hailing platforms have reduced commission and are offering many other incentives, including free rides to customers, seeing the success of Bharat Taxi during the pilot operation
However, Shah emphasised that Bharat Taxi is giving ownership to drivers, which no other ride-hailing platform can offer.
“From today, Bharat Taxi has been commercially launched in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat. Within three years, the service will be expanded to all states. Nobody should have any doubt about this,” he said.
“You will be the driver, and you will be the owner of Bharat Taxi platform,” Shah told the gathering. Around 800-1,000 drivers attended the event held here.
He said the profit will be shared with drivers associated with Bharat Taxi.
Shah said the platform would keep Rs 20 out of every Rs 100 earned, and Rs 80 would go to the drivers’ bank accounts. Even the ownership of Rs 20 would be with the drivers.
Customers can hail cars, three-wheelers and two-wheelers through the platform.
Bharat Taxi operates on a zero-commission and surge-free pricing model with direct profit distribution among drivers. This positions the platform as an indigenous alternative to foreign investment-based ride-hailing platforms.
The ride-hailing service market in the country is currently dominated by a handful of players, like Uber, Ola, and Rapido.
“Within three years, Bharat Taxi is going to become a very major means of welfare for our taxi drivers across the country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Dwarka to Kamakhya,” Shah said.
The minister noted that the four core mantras of Bharat Taxi are ownership, security cover, dignity, and ‘Everyone’s Wheel, Everyone’s Progress’, which is fair distribution of dividends for all.
With these four objectives, Bharat Taxi has been started, and in the coming time, it will prove to be a very successful experiment, he added.
So far, more than 2.5 lakh drivers in Delhi-NCR have joined Bharat Taxi, and more than 8.5 lakh passengers have become part of this family, an official statement said. IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Company will provide personal accident and health insurance coverage to drivers associated with Bharat Taxi.
