Several collaborative organizations unite to initiate the 'Bharat' taxi service, welcoming 200 drivers on board
A new ride-hailing service named Bharat is set to challenge the dominance of Ola and Uber in India, with a launch scheduled for the end of 2025. The cooperative taxi service is backed by a consortium of eight prominent cooperatives, including NCDC, IFFCO, and GCMMF, with an authorised capital of ₹300 crore.
The cooperative model of Bharat ensures that no government equity is involved, with all funding coming from the cooperative bodies. The goal is to provide better returns to drivers, offering a larger share of fares, driver welfare benefits like insurance and pensions, and skill enhancement programs.
The service aims to offer quality, safe, and affordable services with pricing transparency, eliminating middlemen. It will cover cabs, auto-rickshaws, and two-wheelers, extending beyond just taxis. A pilot operation has already onboarded 200 drivers across four states - Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, with plans to expand membership via other cooperatives.
A technology partner is being selected to develop the ride-booking app, expected to be ready by launch at year-end 2025, providing a unified platform nationwide. The cooperative has also engaged a technology consultant and IIM Bangalore to assist with marketing and growth strategy.
Bharat represents a significant institutional cooperative effort aiming for a fairer, more equitable alternative to the private aggregators, focusing on driver welfare and cooperative ownership in India’s urban transport market. The cooperative has issued a tender to select a technology partner for developing the ride-hailing application and is adopting a cooperative pricing model, with membership drives currently underway to scale operations.
- In an effort to challenge dominant ride-hailing services like Ola and Uber, a new service called Bharat is preparing to enter the Indian markets by the end of 2025.
- Backed by a consortium of eight cooperatives, including NCDC, IFFCO, and GCMMF, with an authorized capital of ₹300 crore, Bharat aims to provide better returns to drivers and ensure a cooperative ownership in India’s urban transport market.
- The ride-hailing service plans to provide quality, safe, and affordable services through pricing transparency, eliminating middlemen, offering a wide range of vehicles including cabs, auto-rickshaws, and two-wheelers.
- To develop the ride-booking app, Bharat is in the process of selecting a technology partner and has engaged a technology consultant and IIM Bangalore for assistance with marketing and growth strategy.
- As a significant institutional cooperative effort, Bharat represents a fairer, more equitable alternative to private aggregators, focusing on driver welfare and cooperative ownership in India's urban transport market.
- The cooperative has issued a tender to select a technology partner for developing the ride-hailing application and is currently conducting membership drives to scale operations through other cooperatives, with a view to expand its presence in India's business and technology sectors.
