The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced significant amendments to the rules governing cab aggregator platforms like Ola and Uber. Notified on December 15, 2025, the revised Motor Vehicles Aggregators Guidelines now include provisions for voluntary tipping and enhanced passenger choice regarding driver gender, marking a shift towards greater flexibility and safety for users.
Key Amendments: Tipping and Gender Choice
The amendments specifically target Clauses 14 and 15 of the Motor Vehicles Aggregators Guidelines, 2025. The new rules mandate that digital platforms may introduce a feature allowing passengers to give a voluntary tip to the driver. However, this feature has strict conditions: it must only become visible after the journey is completed. It cannot be available at the time of booking, before the trip starts, or during the ride itself.
Furthermore, the ministry has stipulated that the entire tip amount must be credited to the driver without any deduction or commission taken by the aggregator company. Any tipping mechanism within the app must be transparent and cannot be misleading, manipulative, or in violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
In a major move for passenger safety and comfort, the guidelines now require that passengers must be able to choose a driver of the same gender, where available. This explicitly includes an option for women passengers to select women drivers.
Background: The Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines 2025
These new changes build upon the original Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, which were first notified by the ministry on July 1, 2025. That framework was established to regularise fares and ensure aggregator compliance with various passenger safety conditions.
The 2025 guidelines permit dynamic pricing but within strictly defined limits. Aggregators can reduce fares by up to 50 percent below the state-notified base fare. Conversely, surge pricing during peak hours is capped at a maximum of twice the base fare.
Cancellation and Suspension Rules
The guidelines also detail penalties for ride cancellations. If a driver cancels a booked ride without a valid reason specified by the aggregator, a penalty of 10% of the fare, not exceeding Rs. 100, will be imposed.
Similarly, if a passenger cancels without a valid reason after booking, a fee of 10% of the fare (max Rs. 100) will be collected. This cancellation amount is to be divided between the driver and the aggregator in the proportion outlined in Clause 15 of the guidelines.
The notification further empowers the Competent Authority to suspend an aggregator's licence for specified reasons. This suspension, which can last for up to three months, can be initiated by the authority itself or following a complaint and subsequent inquiry.
The latest amendments reflect the government's ongoing effort to balance the interests of passengers, drivers, and aggregator platforms in India's rapidly growing ride-hailing sector. The emphasis on post-ride tipping and gender-based choice aims to empower users while introducing more accountability into the system.
