In a significant step towards driver empowerment, India’s first cooperative taxi service, ‘Bharat Taxi’, was launched in Kandivali, Mumbai by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday.
The launch also saw the unveiling of the ‘Bharat Taxi Drivers App’, designed to give drivers greater control, ownership, and a fair share of their earnings. The initiative is being seen as a major shift towards a cooperative model in the ride-hailing sector.
Addressing around 300 drivers, referred to as ‘Sarathis’, Goyal highlighted that Bharat Taxi is a step towards ensuring that drivers receive the rightful rewards of their hard work while gaining a sense of ownership in the platform.
In a post on social media, he said, “I had the opportunity to interact with ‘Sarathi’ brothers while launching #BharatTaxi registrations. This initiative is an important step towards giving drivers their rightful earnings and ownership. Starting from Kandivali, it will expand across Mumbai and Maharashtra, empowering lakhs of drivers.”
The initiative, which begins in Kandivali, is expected to expand across Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra, offering a cooperative alternative in the transport sector and creating new opportunities for driver partners.