For decades, Amul has shown how millions of small producers can compete with powerful corporations by working together. Now, a new ride-hailing platform called Bharat Taxi is trying to bring that same cooperative thinking to India’s taxi industry. The service is set to officially launch on January 1, 2026, with pilot operations already running in select parts of the country.
The comparison with Amul is not accidental. Bharat Taxi is built on a cooperative model where drivers, not investors or venture capital firms, own and run the platform. The goal is simple: give drivers control over their work and offer passengers a fair, predictable alternative to existing app-based cab services.
Owned by Drivers, Not Corporations
At its core, Bharat Taxi is not a traditional startup. It is a cooperative formed by thousands of drivers who have come together to create a shared platform. There is no private company behind the scenes focused on maximizing profits. Instead, the cooperative is meant to work in the collective interest of its members while providing reliable service to customers.
This approach mirrors the logic that made Amul successful. Just as milk producers collectively own their brand, Bharat Taxi drivers are positioned as both service providers and owners of the business.
Who Is Running the Show
The cooperative behind the platform is Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, headquartered in New Delhi. The organisation is chaired by Jayen Mehta, the Managing Director of Amul, adding a strong cooperative pedigree to the project. Bharat Taxi also has backing from the Ministry of Cooperation and is integrated with the National e-Governance Division, giving it official support as it prepares for a nationwide rollout.
Despite these institutional connections, the cooperative insists that drivers remain the central force behind the platform, both operationally and in terms of ownership.
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A New Way for Drivers to Earn
Bharat Taxi’s zero-commission model is one of its best features. Existing competitors take away a portion of revenue made by drivers for each ride. Bharat Taxi, under its model, allows drivers to keep almost all of their earnings. While the cooperative has not provided exact numbers, it is expected that drivers will only pay a small operational fee to the platform instead of giving away a portion of their earnings for every ride.
This model directly addresses long-standing complaints from drivers on other platforms, where fuel costs, vehicle loans, and commissions often leave little income at the end of the day. The interest from drivers has been significant, with more than 51,000 enrolments reported within just ten days of the announcement.
Drivers Get a Voice in Decisions
Bharat Taxi is also promising something that is rare in the gig economy: representation. Drivers are not just users of the app but stakeholders with a say in how it is run. The governing board of Sahakar Taxi Cooperative is expected to include elected driver representatives, giving members a direct role in key decisions.
This structure marks a clear shift from the corporate models followed by platforms like Uber and Ola, where drivers have little influence over policies that affect their daily work.
What This Means for Passengers
For riders, the cooperative model could mean simpler and more stable pricing. Bharat Taxi has indicated that it will avoid surge pricing, which often causes fares to double or triple during peak hours or bad weather. Regular commuters may see consistent pricing for common routes, reducing the uncertainty that comes with current app-based services.
Whether this pricing stability holds up at scale will become clear once the service expands beyond its pilot phase.
Technology Will Be the Real Test
Competing with established ride-hailing apps will not be easy. Years of investment have gone into refining their technology, from route matching to GPS accuracy. To bridge this gap, Sahakar Taxi Cooperative is using the same backend technology that powers the ONDC-backed Namma Yatri app.
The Bharat Taxi app has been developed by Moving Tech Innovations and is currently in a beta phase. Early testing suggests it functions as intended, with further improvements expected as the launch date approaches.
Lessons From Elsewhere
Driver-owned taxi platforms already exist in other parts of the world. In New York, the Drivers Cooperative has operated since 2021 as a driver-run alternative to major ride-hailing companies and continues to function despite intense competition. In contrast, Goa’s tightly organised taxi unions show how collective control can also lead to high fares and limited choice for passengers.
A Promising Idea Facing Real-World Challenges
Bharat Taxi’s cooperative experiment comes with high expectations. How it handles disputes, service quality, and accountability on the road will ultimately determine its success. Whether it becomes a sustainable, driver-first alternative or struggles under real-world pressures is something only time will reveal.
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