Bharat Taxi: India's Amul-inspired cooperative challenges Uber, Ola with driver-ownership model

• Bharat Taxi, a new driver-owned cooperative, aims to replicate the 'Amul model' in India's ride-sharing industry, challenging giants like Uber and Ola.
• Backed by the Centre and launched by Home Minister Amit Shah, the initiative seeks to empower commercial vehicle drivers by giving them ownership stakes and a say in governance.
• Operating on a zero-commission model, drivers (Sarathis) pay a flat daily fee of Rs 30, retaining almost all earnings, unlike the 20-30% commission charged by private aggregators.
• The cooperative offers welfare benefits like health and accident insurance, and safety features, addressing the lack of employee benefits for ride-sharing drivers.
• Bharat Taxi promises no surge pricing, potentially offering customers rides up to a third cheaper, and uses the backend of Namma Yatri, an ONDC-backed open-source platform.