India’s taxi drivers have just had an Amul moment, and it might change the way you hail a cab. A new app-based cab service called Bharat Taxi has quietly hit Indian streets. What sets this apart from the likes of Uber and Rapido is simple: it’s owned by drivers.
Bharat Taxi has been developed by the Sahkar Taxi Cooperative as the world’s first nationwide mobility service, fully owned and operated by taxi drivers. Sahkar Taxi Cooperative is a multi-state cooperative. The initiative is supported by the Union Ministry of Cooperation, headed by Amit Shah.
Speaking in Parliament earlier this year, Amit Shah talked about the creation of a cooperative for app-based cab services. However, later at an event, he clarified that the government would not be involved in it. He said, “A cooperative organisation will manage this taxi service. It is a cooperative role, not a government-run business.”
Under this cooperative model, drivers of Bharat Taxi get to keep 100% of the fare. Not only that, they also get board representation, annual dividends, and a share of the profits. This is similar to the model Amul, India’s largest dairy brand, follows. Amul is also a cooperative-run brand, where lakhs of farmers are the key stakeholders.
In fact, Amul (GCMMF) is also one of the eight major cooperative institutions, including NCDC, IFFCO, NABARD, KRIBHCO, NAFED, NDDB and NCEL, which are jointly promoting the platform. That’s one of the reasons many are calling it India’s “Amul moment” for mobility services.
Bharat Taxi has already started its trials in two regions, Delhi and Gujarat. Within just 10 days of its pilot launch in these two regions, the cooperative has already onboarded 51,000 drivers, called Saarthis. With these figures, it has already surpassed New York’s The Drivers Cooperative, which took years to reach 4,000 members.
It’s not only the drivers who are expected to benefit from this service. Passengers, too, are likely to benefit. Bharat Taxi has promised fixed, transparent fares with no surge pricing. According to reports quoting key stakeholders, passengers can “expect fair and predictable rates,” addressing frustrations during peak hours or adverse weather.
A nationwide rollout of the platform is expected soon. Also, the Bharat Taxi app is already live on the Google Play Store, and an iOS version is on the way.
