Bike Taxi

App-based cab, auto drivers strike over fare policy, 'illegal' bike taxis

Drivers of app-based taxis and autorickshaws on Saturday observed a day-long strike in Maharashtra and other parts of the country to draw the government's attention to various demands, including a ban on "illegal" bike taxis and action against "arbitrary" fare policy. The protest affected commuters to some extent as most of the cabs and rickshaws linked to aggregator apps remained off roads. State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik warned of taking action against the ride aggregator companies if they behave unfairly with the drivers and indulge in "injustice" against them. He said the government was ready to support the drivers on their genuine issues. Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha (MKS), a union that had given the strike call, claimed the protest was "successful" as most of the drivers "spontaneously" participated in the strike in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad and other regions in the state. It warned to intensify the agitation if their demands were ignored. MKS' head Dr Kesh

Ride hailing app services partially impacted as drivers go on strike

Ride-hailing apps such as Ola, Uber and Rapido were sporadically impacted on Saturday as drivers went on a partial strike across several cities in the country. Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) had called for a "breakdown" on February 7 to protest against existing rules and practices of app-based transportation platforms. It has demanded that the Centre and state governments should notify minimum base fare app-based transport services and bar the use of non-commercial vehicles for commercial passenger and goods transport. "We received one of the biggest responses to our call for breakdown today. We had planned to sit with heads and our leaders of 20 states to protest against the practices of app-based transport services firms and unexpectedly driver partners also turned up at Jantar Mantar," TGPWU founder state President Shaik Salauddin told PTI. He said the call was for a breakdown, which was meant to partially not accept bookings when there is peak demand. "We can

Karnataka HC lifts ban on bike taxis, directs state govt to issue permits

Bike taxi services can resume in Karnataka after the High Court set aside the state ban; the court said riders and aggregators must apply for licences and the government must issue permits as per law

Ride on cue: Guntupalli on Rapido's no-frills route to rapid scale

Guntupalli tells how a no-frills strategy, zero-commission model, and intimate knowledge of India's diversity have enabled Rapido to become one of the country's biggest ride-hailing companies

'Illegal, unsafe': Karnataka govt panel urges continuation of bike-taxi ban

Karnataka's expert panel has backed the continued ban on bike taxis, calling them illegal, unsafe and outside the Motor Vehicles Act

Rapido expects to start working on IPO by 2026-end: Co-Founder Sanka

Bike taxi aggregator Rapido expects to start working on the process for public listing by the end of next year, a top company official said. Rapido Co-Founder Aravind Sanka told PTI that the company expects to maintain its growth rate of 100 per cent year-on-year for the next few years and be a much larger player compared to its nearest competitor before going for the initial public offering (IPO). "We just want to grow further before thinking about markets. Right now, our idea is how do we grow further... We have been growing 100 per cent in the last two years. We want to at least continue that growth rate for a few more years and then think of the market," he said. On whether Rapido is looking to start preparing for IPO after two years, Sanka said the timelines keep changing every quarter depending on the firm's performance but the company wants to be ready irrespective of the way things are outside. "We are making moves around that, both from a preparedness point of view, busine

Rapido's disruptive ride: Taking on bigger rivals with a bold playbook

Rapido, new kid on the cab aggregator block, is shaking up the market -Rapido

Mobility platform Rapido enters hotel, bus, train, and flight booking space

Rapido partners with Goibibo, ConfirmTkt, and redBus to integrate travel bookings into its app, targeting 100 million new users from Tier-II and Tier-III citieS

Inclined to stay bike taxi ban: K'taka HC seeks clarity on gig workers law

The Karnataka High Court questioned whether the state's new gig workers law applies to bike taxis and adjourned the matter to October 15, asking the government to avoid coercive steps against riders

Bike taxi row: Uber, Ola halt in Karnataka, Rapido continues service

This comes after the Karnataka High Court bench clarified that it has not passed any order allowing bike taxi services in the state

Bike taxi services resume, but Karnataka HC clarifies no judicial nod given

The Karnataka High Court has clarified that it had not passed any order permitting ride-hailing companies to resume bike taxi services, a day after such operations were seen returning to city roads. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru observed that while the state government is free to act against bike taxi aggregators in accordance with law, enforcement authorities must refrain from targeting individual vehicle owners. During a hearing on August 20, the bench had adjourned the matter to September 22, giving the government time to decide whether it intended to frame a policy on bike taxis. On Friday, Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty informed the court that several operators had restarted services despite there being no judicial order permitting them to do so. Counsel representing bike taxi riders countered, saying that enforcement authorities were seizing motorcycles belonging to individual owners. The bench clarified that its earlier concern was limited to ..

Bike taxis return in Karnataka after High Court lifts state government ban

Bike taxis are back on the roads in Karnataka following the High Court's "balanced and thoughtful observations", said Karnataka Bike Taxi Welfare Association (KBTWA) president Adi Narayan on Thursday. Uber, Ola and Rapido have brought back the bike taxi feature on their platforms. According to Narayan, it would benefit over six lakh riders who were without income because of the ban on bike taxis. State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy was not immediately available for comments. Bike taxi operations had been suspended since June 16, following a single judge order prohibiting bike taxi services. On August 20, the Karnataka High Court came down heavily on the state government's ban on bike taxis, calling its arguments against the service "thin" and legally untenable. It also said the state cannot deny livelihoods by citing the absence of a formal policy. Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, who headed the bench, noted that bike taxis are permitted in at least 13 states across the country

Karnataka HC slams govt bike taxi ban, upholds operators' right to work

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday came down on the state government's ban on bike taxis, calling its arguments against the service 'thin' and "legally untenable". Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, heading the bench, noted that bike taxis are permitted in at least 13 states across the country and have emerged as a lawful and essential mode of urban transport. He observed that such services are not a luxury but a necessity, especially for affordable and efficient last-mile connectivity. Rejecting the government's stance that the Motor Vehicles Act prohibits bike taxis, the court said the State cannot deny livelihoods by citing the absence of a formal policy. A mere lack of regulation cannot be the basis for a blanket ban that deprives thousands of their right to work under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, the Chief Justice remarked. The court also asked the Advocate General (AG) to ensure that no coercive or punitive action is taken against bike taxi operators in the interim. Th

CCPA imposes ₹10 lakh fine on Rapido for misleading auto service claims

The CCPA stated that Rapido made misleading claims in its promotional campaigns, including "Guaranteed Auto" and "AUTO IN 5 MIN OR GET ₹50", which were not substantiated

Mumbai's RTO seizes around 78 bike taxis for illegal transport activities

The transport office has also taken action against 123 vehicles in Mumbai, Thane, Vasai, Vashi, and Panvel

No option for states to reject bike taxi norms: Rapido cofounder Guntupalli

Says Pavan Guntupalli, co-founder of Rapido: "The guidelines permit states to have an additive policy but not the option to accept or reject the guidelines."

Uber's India ambitions face challenge from rival Rapido's pricing model

India is crucial for Uber because its massive population of more than 1.4 billion people represents an unparalleled opportunity for expansion

Ride-hailing companies cheer Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2025

MVAG 2025 allows non-transport motorcycles to operate as taxis, raises peak-hour surge cap to twice the base fare, and introduces new safety and cancellation norms

Karnataka bike taxi ban: Riders hold hunger protest, write letter to CM

Members of the Bike Taxi Welfare Association staged a hunger protest on Sunday, demanding to lift the ban on bike taxis in Karnataka and calling for an inclusive policy framework. They have also written an open letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. According to the association, protests were held in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya, Davangere, and Ramanagara, with several bike taxi riders participating. App-based bike taxi services were suspended across Karnataka on June 16 after the Karnataka High Court refused to stay an earlier order suspending such operations unless the state government notifies relevant guidelines under the Motor Vehicles Act. A division bench of the High Court, on June 13, had declined to stay the April 2 order given by a single judge, which directed bike taxi operators to stop services within six weeks. This deadline was later extended to June 15. "Sir, we, who ride through rain and sun to serve Karnataka, are writing this letter not out of anger but out of ...

Rapido offers metro ticketing in Delhi, sells 10K tickets per day

Rapido users in Delhi NCR can now book metro tickets via the app through a DMRC and ONDC tie-up, with Rs 25 fixed-fare rides and first ride offers to metro stations