Uber and Ola are going to have a new competitor soon, and this one is backed by the Indian government. The Bharat Taxi app, which is more of a cooperative-managed cab aggregator service, is set to launch on January 1, 2026, in the national capital of New Delhi. The new platform aims to disrupt the dominance of private ride-hailing giants like Ola and Uber by offering a transparent pricing model and a more equitable revenue structure for drivers.
The idea behind Bharat Taxi is to ensure that both passengers and taxi operators get their concerns addressed, especially the issues like steep surge pricing, particularly during peak hours, monsoons, and extreme weather events in metropolitan setups like Delhi.
Bharat Taxi app: How it differs from Uber and Ola
The core promise of Bharat Taxi, unlike Uber and Ola, is fare stability. Unlike private aggregators that use dynamic algorithms to inflate prices when demand is high, Bharat Taxi plans to follow a government-supported, predictable pricing model. This translates to accessible pricing regardless of the surge in demand, thereby helping commuters in tricky situations.
The app will offer comprehensive transport categories from day one, including:
– Auto-rickshaws
– Hatchbacks and Sedans
– Bike Taxis
By providing an alternative platform that prioritises affordability over profit-maximised surges, the platform hopes to become the primary choice for daily Delhi commuters, encouraging more people to jump on to a locally developed alternative to Uber.
Does Bharat Taxi favour the driver community?
One of the most significant shifts introduced by Bharat Taxi is its driver-centric financial model. Drivers are set to retain more than 80% of the total fare, a commission structure that is superior to the high cuts typically taken by private cab aggregators.
This ‘driver-first’ approach has already seen a massive wave of adoption. Ahead of the January 1 rollout, approximately 56,000 drivers in the Delhi-NCR region have already registered on the platform, ensuring high vehicle availability for the launch.
How to use Bharat Taxi from Jan 1
Residents of Delhi can expect to download the Bharat Taxi app from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store starting late December, with full booking services going live as the clock strikes midnight on January 1, 2026. With a fleet of over 50,000 vehicles ready to roll, the initiative will encourage the city’s lesser reliance on high-commission private platforms while promising a ‘fair fare’ for both the passenger and the pilot.
