(MENAFN- Live Mint) The government is set to launch a ride-hailing mobility app, Bharat Taxi, aimed at providing commercial vehicle drivers with an alternative to private platforms like Uber, Ola, and Rapido.

Cooperation Minister Amit Shah confirmed the development in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (December 2), highlighting that the app is designed to free drivers from dependency on private companies.

Driver-owned cooperative model

The Bharat Taxi app will be operated by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Ltd, a multi-state cooperative registered under the MSCS Act 2002. It is billed as the world's first national mobility cooperative owned entirely by drivers, with no government stake. The cooperative already boasts over 51,000 registered driver-members across New Delhi and Saurashtra, making it the largest driver-owned mobility platform at the beta stage.

Amit Shah said,“The government proposes to launch a cooperative-led digital app mobility platform which will support to free the country's commercial vehicle drivers from dependency on private companies.”

The cooperative model ensures that drivers retain 100% of the fare, while also receiving board representation, annual dividends, and a share in the cooperative's profits.

Soft launch and Beta trials

The app's soft launch began on Tuesday in Delhi and Gujarat, with beta trials available on the Google Play Store. An iOS version is expected to be released soon. The service aims to integrate two-wheelers, rickshaws, taxis, and four-wheelers on a single platform, addressing both first-mile and last-mile mobility challenges.

Salient features of Bharat Taxi App

The taxi app comes with several features designed for convenience, transparency, and safety:

-User-friendly mobile ride booking

-Transparent fare system and cooperative pricing model

-Vehicle tracking and multi-lingual interface

-24/7 customer support and tech-enabled assistance

-Secure and verified onboarding for drivers and passengers

-Inclusive mobility options for all vehicle types

-Enhanced safety framework in partnership with Delhi Police

Support and funding

The Multi-State Sahakari Taxi Cooperative Ltd, formed on June 6, 2025, represents a consortium of eight prominent cooperatives, including NCDC, IFFCO, GCMMF, NABARD, NDDB, NCEL, and Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd. The venture is entirely cooperative-funded, without any government stake, leveraging collective strength to compete with private players in India's ride-hailing market.

The app will operate as a single pan-India platform, offering drivers fair earnings, cooperative profits, and passengers a safe, reliable, and transparent mobility option.

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