200 Drivers Join Sahkar Taxi: India’s First Driver-Owned Ride-Hailing Service Takes Off
Sahkar Taxi Cooperative is not just entering the ride-hailing market it’s changing the rules entirely. Registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, this initiative brings India its first large-scale, driver-owned taxi service built on the foundation of trust, fairness, and local empowerment.
This cooperative isn’t walking alone. It’s backed by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and supported by respected cooperative powerhouses like Amul, NAFED, NABARD, IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NDDB, and NCEL. Operations will begin across four major states: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra laying the foundation for a truly national movement.
Over 200 drivers have already come on board, with equal representation from each launch state. Sahakar Taxi will launch in December 2025. This isn’t a top-down model. It’s built with and for the people who keep the wheels turning. More cooperative institutions are being brought into the fold as the network grows every day.
With an authorized share capital of ₹300 crore, and ₹80 crore already committed by the founding promoters, the foundation is solid. Unlike private platforms like Uber and Ola that extract profits and leave drivers with little say, Sahkar Taxi flips that structure. Here, the drivers own it. They make decisions, share the profits, and control the direction of their own platform.
The digital platform won’t lag behind. A national tender has already been floated to bring in the right technology partner who will build a single, unified app for users across India. Interim board head Rohit Gupta from NCDC confirmed that the technology partner will be finalized shortly. The app is expected to roll out by December.
On the strategic side, IIM-Bangalore and a top technology advisor are shaping the marketing and rollout plan. The roots of this initiative go deeper than just transport. It’s part of a vision laid out by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah a vision that sees cooperative ownership as a path to real empowerment for working-class Indians across sectors.