A new name is quietly changing how people in towns and smaller cities think about getting around. Bharat Taxi, a driver-owned ride-hailing platform launched in February, has announced plans to expand to 55 to 60 smaller cities over the next three to six months.
The list includes places like Kanpur and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, towns across Rajasthan, and satellite areas around major urban centres. Unlike many apps that focus only on sedans and SUVs, Bharat Taxi is putting bikes and auto-rickshaws at the heart of its growth, because these are the vehicles most people in smaller towns actually use every day.
The idea behind this expansion is simple: make mobility fair and available where transport options are still limited. In many smaller cities, people struggle to find reliable cabs, especially during peak hours or bad weather. Bharat Taxi believes its model can fill that gap. The platform does not charge drivers any commission on their rides.
It also does not use surge pricing, which means fares stay predictable even when demand is high. This zero-commission, surge-free approach is meant to help drivers keep more of what they earn and help riders pay fares they can trust.
Bharat Taxi is not a traditional company owned by investors or a foreign firm. It is a cooperative, registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, and owned entirely by drivers. A driver can invest a small amount to become a shareholder and, after three years, receive a share of the profits from the business.
This model was described by Union Minister Amit Shah as a way to give drivers ownership and stability, rather than treating them as gig workers who lose money to platform fees.
During its two-month pilot in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat, more than 3 lakh drivers joined, over 1 lakh users registered, and around 10,000 rides were completed every day. About 10 crore rupees have already been distributed directly to drivers.
Although it is called “Taxi,” the app lets people book cars, two-wheelers, and three-wheelers. In smaller cities, bikes and autos are often faster, cheaper, and easier to navigate through narrow streets and crowded markets. By focusing on these categories, Bharat Taxi expects to see faster adoption among everyday users who need quick, affordable trips rather than long-distance cab rides.
The platform also offers a user-friendly booking interface, vehicle tracking, a multi-lingual design, and 24/7 support, so that people from different backgrounds can use it comfortably.
This move comes as established players like Uber, Ola, and Rapido already dominate many metro cities. Those platforms typically charge drivers a commission of 20 to 30 percent on every ride.
Bharat Taxi sees its zero-commission model as a sustainable way to compete, especially in regions where transport options are thin and riders are sensitive to price. The platform says its focus on smaller cities aligns with its goal of democratising mobility, giving more people access to reliable transport without the high costs often seen on profit-driven apps.
For anyone living in a town that has long struggled with unreliable cabs or expensive rides, this expansion could feel like a real change. Imagine being able to book an auto or a bike through an app, at a fair price, without sudden price hikes.
Imagine the driver you meet keeping most of what you pay, instead of losing a large part to a company. That is the promise behind Bharat Taxi’s reach into 55 to 60 new cities. As the platform grows, it may not just add more rides; it could reshape how people in smaller cities think about ownership, fairness, and everyday mobility.
