Bihar gives Ola, Uber, Rapido until Oct 30 to be more transparent or lose licences

The Bihar transport department has warned app-based cab and ride aggregators that their operating licences will be cancelled if they do not comply with specified directions by October 30. ETV Bharat reported that Ola, Uber, Rapido, and Savari Mithila received this notice during a compliance review meeting on October 23.

Show-Cause notices already issued

State transport secretary Raj Kumar chaired a ‘compliance review’ meeting, attended by representatives of the cab aggregator companies. He noted that the department had previously held several meetings and issued directions, but the companies failed to implement.

Ola and Uber have received show-cause notices for failing to comply with earlier directions. Both companies must submit a compliance report by October 30. Kumar stated that any aggregator missing the deadline will have its licence cancelled. He emphasised that companies must adhere to current regulations, enhance passenger facilities, ensure fare transparency, and address driver grievances.

What the companies have been told to do

Pricing disclosure

• Determine and publicly disclose night charges applied to late-hour bookings.
• Determine and publicly disclose ride cancellation charges.

Passenger-facing changes

• Offer a Hindi-language chatbot. The chatbot currently works only in English in Bihar, where Hindi is the main language.
• Increase the on-screen display and audio broadcast time of in-app messages from two seconds to 10 seconds so that users can read, hear and understand the information.

Driver-related measures

• Set up a call-support facility for drivers on the platforms.
• Frame a standard operating procedure for suspending driver IDs and handling related matters, one that follows the principles of natural justice.
• Use only commercial vehicles on their platforms.

Operational requirements

• Open offices in Bihar so that issues can be resolved locally.
• Complete memorandums of understanding with the Airports Authority of India for waiting and parking areas at airports.

Ambulance services proposed

The department is inviting aggregator companies to participate in the state’s ambulance services to improve access to emergency medical transport.

Some Context on the Matter

Earlier in July 2024, then transport secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal instructed Ola, Uber, Sawari Mithila, and Rapido to expand services beyond Patna to other major cities in Bihar, including Gaya.

The Centre’s Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines 2025, issued by the Road Transport Ministry on July 1, 2025, replaced the 2020 framework. The new guidelines

• permit fares ranging from 50% below to twice the base fare,
• formalise cancellation charges and bike-taxi provisions,
• requires drivers to receive at least 80% of the fare.

States were advised to adopt these guidelines within three months and may add their own provisions.

Also read:

• Karnataka grants Rapido 5-year cab licence, but bike-taxi dispute remains
• Why Eternal, Uber And Porter are leaving Karnataka’s Gig Workers Board