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Tag: Uber Shuttle

  • MSRTC to Launch ‘Chhava Ride’ App for Booking Autos, Buses & Taxis

    According to reports, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will introduce a passenger app that is based on an aggregator and will provide transport services on a single platform.

    One App, Multiple Rides: Buses, Autos, Taxis & E-Buses

    According to PTI, the app would let users schedule rides for buses, autorickshaws, taxis, and e-buses. It is being developed under the aggregator policy of the federal and state governments. This statement was made earlier this week at a high-level meeting by state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik. The app would be called “Chhava Ride”, according to the report.

    Revenue Opportunity for MSRTC Through Digital Transformation

    According to various media reports, Sarnaik stated that the MSRTC was the most qualified entity to run the app, which is anticipated to create a new source of income for the transportation agency while offering passengers a reliable and open service.

    State Cracks Down on Unlicensed Private Aggregators

    Nearly a week has passed since the minister blasted the current private aggregators for taking advantage of both drivers and passengers. The state government of Maharashtra launched a crackdown on Uber Shuttle and other bus aggregators in mid-July for operating without the required licenses.

    Policy Challenges for Ola, Uber, Rapido in Maharashtra

    Additionally, when the federal government announced the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines (MVAG) 2025 earlier in July, it required ride-hailing aggregators to meet the goals set for the proportion of electric vehicles in their fleet.

    Aggregator Cabs Policy 2025, which was passed by the Maharashtra government in May, stipulated that drivers who cancel rides would henceforth be required to pay a fee, which should then be promptly credited to the rider’s account.

    Auto Unions and Local Startups Fill the Gap

    In June, the software development firm Metazen Labs and the autorickshaw unions Seva Sarathi Autorickshaw Taxi & Transport Union (SSATTU) of Mumbai jointly released Yatri Mitra, a new auto booking app for commuters in Thane and Mumbai. Earlier this March, the Centre announced the launch of a new state-backed ride-hailing service dubbed “Sahkar Taxi,” which will compete with industry titans like Ola, Uber, and Rapido.

    Regulatory Clash: Maharashtra Government vs Ride-Hailing Giants

    The ride-hailing app Rapido recently applied for a licence to provide bike taxi services in the state from the local transport authority but was turned down. It then filed a challenge to the notification with the Bombay High Court (HC).

    The company was ordered to cease its bike taxi services for operating without a licence by the HC, which also denied the petition. The state’s bike taxi policy has been in uncertainty ever since.

    In the meantime, ride-hailing platform taxi drivers in Mumbai are still demonstrating in favour of quicker aggregator policy implementation and pay parity with traditional taxi drivers.

  • After Bike Taxis, Maharashtra Govt Turns the Heat on Bus Aggregators

    The Maharashtra government is once again targeting ride-hailing services like Uber, and this time for its bus service.

    Pratap Sarnaik, the transport minister of Maharashtra, reportedly vowed a crackdown on Uber Shuttle and other aggregator bus operators for failing to obtain a government permit for the service, a week after he pretended to be a rider and discovered violations in Mumbai’s bike taxi prohibition.

    According to a media outlet, the minister stated that severe measures would also be implemented against senior RTO officials who are in charge of “not taking action” against aggregator buses and bike taxis that are operating unlawfully in the city. In addition to Uber Shuttle, Cityflo, an aggregator bus operator, was also under governmental scrutiny for failing to get a permit.

    “When I questioned RTO representatives, they informed me that they had sent notices to the bus aggregators and were awaiting a response. However, they ought to carry out raids, punish them, or terminate the services,” Sarnaik stated.

    In the interest of commuters, he also emphasised the necessity of a policy for bus aggregators. He went on to say that in order to benefit a greater number of commuters, the government must create a policy for bus aggregators. However, permitting unlawful app-based bus operations has to be stopped.

    Uber Shuttle May Disappear from the App

    Following the news, Uber Shuttle services might be suspended and removed from the app, according to a media story that quoted sources. Many aggregator-controlled buses may stop operating out of concern for RTO action, according to a different article published by the daily on 10 July.

    According to the report, more than 450 buses are run by bus aggregators like Cityflo, Uber Shuttle, and others in Mumbai. Rapido was found breaking Maharashtra’s bike taxi prohibition last week by the transport minister.

    To confirm a senior official’s assertion that the app and illicit bike taxi services are non-operational, Sarnaik made a reservation for a bike taxi on Rapido in Mumbai on July 3 using a different identity.

    In contrast to the assertion, a bike taxi driver arrived quickly to collect the minister from the designated pickup location. The driver was counselled by the minister upon his arrival over the unlawful service, but he was not prosecuted.

    Tug of War Between Maharashtra Government and Rapido

    The controversy around bike taxis began in January 2023 when Maharashtra outlawed them and ordered the platforms to apply for a licence to operate there. Rapido then applied for a licence to provide bike taxi services in the state from the local transport department but was turned down.

    Following the department’s denial of the authorisation to function as a bike taxi aggregator, the ride-hailing app filed a challenge against the notification in the Bombay High Court. After learning that Rapido was operating without a permit, the HC also dismissed the aggregator’s request and ordered the business to halt its bike taxi services.

    A proposal to let bike taxis operate in the state was accepted by the Maharashtra Cabinet in April. According to Sarnaik, the new policy, which intends to encourage EVs, will only permit electric bike taxis to operate on public highways.

    The Maharashtra government published a gazette notice formalising the state’s bike taxi operating regulations following the July 3 incident. Aggregator platforms are required by the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules, 2025 notice to obtain a valid licence prior to providing bike-taxi services.

  • Uber Will Soon Test its Bus Service in Hyderabad and Mumbai

    After Delhi and Kolkata, the ride-hailing app Uber plans to test its bus (shuttle) service in Hyderabad and Mumbai. The company is currently negotiating with a number of local stakeholders to obtain approval to launch in the nation’s IT hub.

    In an interview with the media, Prabhjeet Singh, president of Uber India and South Asia, stated that the firm currently operates Uber buses in two cities and that two more cities—Mumbai and Hyderabad—are set to follow. Regretfully, Bengaluru is not yet included in this list.

    Bengaluru Being a Dream Project

    According to Singh, Uber is actively negotiating with various parties to launch bus service in Bengaluru. “It’s my passion project to make sure we can bring Uber buses to Bengaluru, assuming the regulators allow us to do so,” he said, adding that it demonstrates the localisation process and how we are evolving to meet customer preferences.

    Singh further added that Uber needs regulatory approval to proceed to introduce such a service, and we have failed to obtain it. According to him, company is actively negotiating with a number of parties in the hopes of receiving approval to proceed, but as of right now, company has not been able to strike a positive chord.

    Urging Civil Society and Policy-Making to Open Up to “Such Innovations”

    Singh also called on those involved in policy making and civil society to be more receptive to “such innovations.”

    “I would encourage a significant number of individuals in civil society to participate to make the working class’ daily travel hassle-free with such innovations. Numerous businesses are eager for Uber Shuttle to be introduced. From Hebbal and ORR (Outer Ring Road), you could take a shuttle. Air-conditioned shuttles with reserved seats that run every two to three minutes. These are situations that might coexist with the city’s other public transportation options. I hope policymakers are much more receptive to innovations like this,” he opined.

    Uber India’s Vision

    The goal of Uber’s public transportation integration strategy in India is to provide a smooth system that enhances city efficiency while saving passengers money and time. High-capacity vehicles (HCVs) are available for Uber Shuttle service, and reservations can be made using the Uber app. Before the shuttle arrives, riders can track it. Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Delhi NCR all offer Uber Shuttle service.

    Uber has more than one million drivers, according to a media source, which CEO Dara Khosrowshahi revealed on the company’s March quarter earnings call. According to Khosrowshahi, bookings and transactions show that India is one of the company’s fastest-growing regions. Larger markets tend to grow more slowly, but India stands out as a major market that is expanding quickly, he added further.

    To Integrate Its Two-Wheeler Fleet, Uber Has Inked a Contract With Shadowfax
    Uber and Shadowfax have partnered to combine UberMoto, the ride-hailing platform’s bike-taxi service, with Shadowfax’s two-wheeler fleet.
    StartupTalkyNitin Konde