New Delhi | India’s ride-hailing market is set to witness the entry of a new homegrown player with a distinctly different business model. Bharat Taxi, a driver-owned cab aggregation platform, is scheduled for a full-scale launch in Delhi in January 2026. The company claims it will offer significantly lower fares, transparent pricing and a driver-centric structure, posing a direct challenge to established players such as Ola, Uber and Rapido.
According to a report by The Economic Times, Bharat Taxi is currently operating in trial mode across select areas of Delhi and Gujarat’s Saurashtra region. Based on the initial response and operational learnings, the platform has readied itself for a broader rollout in the national capital.
Cooperative structure with drivers as owners
Bharat Taxi is operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, a cooperative entity where drivers themselves are shareholders and owners of the platform. Unlike conventional ride-hailing aggregators, which function as investor-backed technology companies, Bharat Taxi follows a cooperative ownership model.
The company claims to be the world’s largest driver-owned taxi platform. As per internal estimates, more than 100,000 drivers are currently associated with the network, including operators of cars, auto-rickshaws and bike taxis. This structure, the company says, ensures greater income stability and decision-making power for drivers, who otherwise bear the burden of high commissions under existing aggregator models.
Zero-commission model in initial phase
A key differentiator for Bharat Taxi is its zero-commission policy. During the initial phase of operations, drivers will receive 100% of the fare paid by passengers, with the platform not charging any commission.
Company officials have indicated that a service fee of up to 20% may be introduced at a later stage to cover operational and technology costs. However, this amount, they claim, will be routed back to drivers through incentives, rewards and performance-linked benefits. The stated objective, according to the cooperative, is long-term income sustainability rather than profit maximisation.
Flat ₹30 fare for short trips, limited surge pricing
Bharat Taxi has positioned itself aggressively on pricing. For short-distance travel, the platform is offering fares well below prevailing market rates.
- Up to 4 kilometres: ₹30
- 4 to 12 kilometres: ₹23 per kilometre
- Beyond 12 kilometres: ₹18 per kilometre
The company has also committed to avoiding surge pricing, a frequent point of friction between riders and existing platforms. That said, it has clarified that fares may see limited adjustments under exceptional circumstances such as unusually high demand or special events. Any such changes, the company says, will be communicated to users upfront to maintain transparency.
App features, safety measures and metro integration
The Bharat Taxi mobile application is available on both Android and iOS platforms and has already recorded over 75,000 downloads. Key features include real-time vehicle tracking, multilingual support, transparent fare breakdowns and 24×7 customer assistance.
On the safety front, all drivers undergo verification, and the app is integrated with Delhi Police and other relevant agencies, enabling faster response mechanisms. The platform has also been designed to integrate with Delhi Metro and other public transport systems, allowing users to plan multimodal journeys through a single interface.
Market impact and road ahead
Industry observers believe that if Bharat Taxi succeeds in scaling operations without compromising service quality, it could place significant pressure on the prevailing cab aggregation business model. Lower fares, restrained surge pricing and a driver-first approach differentiate it from existing players.
However, experts caution that competing with incumbents such as Ola and Uber will require sustained investment in technology, fleet availability and customer experience. Execution at scale will be critical.
As the Delhi launch approaches, the industry will be closely watching whether this cooperative-driven initiative can translate its disruptive promise into long-term viability and reshape the capital’s ride-hailing landscape.
