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Bharat Taxi Launches Fixed-Fare Rides In Pune
Business Today··26 Aug
Bharat Taxi, a cooperative-led, driver-owned cab service, began full operations in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad after completing trial runs. The platform charges fixed fares with no surge pricing, only a 10 percent rise during peak hours. About 35,000 drivers have joined under a zero-commission model, operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd with Amul and NABARD as backers.
Prism
What It Means For You
- If you commute in Pune or Pimpri-Chinchwad, this gives you a fixed-fare alternative to Ola, Uber and Rapido that won't spike during rain, festivals or peak demand.
- Drivers in the city gain a zero-commission, cooperative-ownership model, which could mean better take-home earnings compared with commission-based ride-hailing platforms.
- Commuters planning intercity travel can now book Pune-Mumbai rides at fixed per-kilometre rates, useful for budgeting trips in advance.
What's Happening
- Bharat Taxi completed its trial phase and began full operations across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, following earlier rollouts in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
- The platform has onboarded around 35,000 drivers under a zero-commission model, with fares aligned to Regional Transport Office norms and only a 10 percent peak-hour increase.
- The service is run by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd in partnership with the National Cooperative Development Corporation, with Amul and NABARD represented on its interim board.
How Bharat Taxi's Cooperative Model Works
- Bharat Taxi was formally launched at Navi Mumbai International Airport on July 23 by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis before expanding to more cities.
- Unlike commission-based apps, Bharat Taxi gives drivers co-ownership through a cooperative structure, an approach modelled on India's dairy and sugar cooperative traditions.
- The company has also frozen ceiling and floor fares for each vehicle category, a departure from the dynamic pricing used by most ride-hailing platforms.
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