Centre Cracks Down On Ola, Uber, Rapido (Img: X)
New Delhi: Passengers using cab aggregator platforms like Ola, Uber and Rapido will no longer be prompted to add tips before their journey begins. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has directed ride-hailing companies to remove pre-ride tip options from their applications.
The government has instructed aggregators to comply with the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, stating that tipping options should only appear after the completion of a ride and must remain completely voluntary for passengers.
According to the ministry’s directive, features such as “Advance Tip”, “Choose an Add-on”, “Improve your chances of quicker ride confirmation” or messages suggesting that drivers may accept rides faster after receiving tips should not be displayed before or during a trip.
The Centre said such options could create a misleading impression among consumers that paying extra money would improve ride confirmation, driver allocation or service quality.
The government has clarified that cab platforms cannot link tips with faster booking confirmation, shorter waiting times or better service. Passengers will continue to have the option to reward drivers after completing their journey, but the decision will remain entirely at their discretion.
The new directive also states that if a passenger chooses to provide a tip after the ride, the entire amount must go to the driver. Aggregators cannot deduct any commission or charges from the tip amount.
MoRTH said cab companies must ensure that their app interface does not encourage, pressure or manipulate passengers into making additional payments before receiving the service.
The ministry’s move comes after concerns were raised over app-based features that appeared to influence passengers into paying extra amounts before a ride was accepted.
The Centre has emphasized that such practices must comply with consumer protection laws and should not create unfair conditions for users. With the new guidelines, passengers will have greater control over optional payments, while cab platforms will have to redesign their app interfaces to meet regulatory requirements.
