Bihar’s Transport Department has directed app-based transport aggregators, including Ola, Uber, Rapido and Sawari Mithila, to improve transparency, passenger services and driver support or risk regulatory action, including possible licence cancellation. The action follows a review of compliance with earlier directions governing app-based cab and bike-taxi services.
Ola and Uber have received show-cause notices and must submit compliance reports by October 30, 2026. The requirements cover fare disclosures, complaint resolution, local offices, vehicle eligibility and procedures for suspending driver accounts. The department is also asking aggregators to explore ambulance-booking services through their platforms, potentially expanding the role of ride-hailing apps beyond conventional passenger transport.
Key Takeaways
- October 30 deadline: Ola and Uber must submit compliance reports to Bihar’s Transport Department by October 30, 2026.
- Licence cancellation warning: Companies that fail to follow the prescribed directions could face cancellation of their licences.
- Clearer fares: Aggregators have been asked to improve disclosures around night charges and ride-cancellation fees.
- Better driver support: Companies must establish local offices, provide driver call support and offer chatbots in Hindi and English.
- Commercial vehicle compliance: Platforms have been instructed to attach only eligible commercial vehicles.
- Fair suspension procedures: Companies must develop standard operating procedures for suspending driver accounts.
- Ambulance services: The department has asked aggregators to submit proposals on expanding ambulance services through their platforms.
Why Has Bihar Issued Directions to Ola, Uber and Rapido?
The Bihar Transport Department is seeking stronger compliance with requirements governing app-based transport services. Officials reviewed reports submitted by aggregator companies during a meeting with their representatives in Patna on October 23, 2026.
The review focused on passenger convenience, driver grievances and compliance with operating requirements. According to The Times of India, Transport Department Secretary Raj Kumar said companies needed to follow the prescribed rules and improve services for both passengers and drivers.
The department issued show-cause notices to Ola and Uber and directed them to submit compliance reports by October 30. A show-cause notice gives a company an opportunity to respond to regulatory concerns; it does not mean that its licence has already been cancelled.
State Transport Commissioner Arif Ahsan said officials would monitor implementation, verify compliance where necessary and take appropriate action if companies failed to follow the directions.
Eight Areas Where Ride-Hailing Companies Must Improve
The department’s instructions cover several operational aspects of app-based transport services.
| Requirement | What companies have been asked to do |
|---|---|
| Local offices | Establish offices in Bihar to improve coordination and complaint resolution |
| Driver support | Provide call-based support to address drivers’ complaints and operational problems |
| Bilingual chatbots | Offer chatbot services in Hindi and English |
| Passenger information | Increase the display duration of broadcast messages from two seconds to 10 seconds |
| Fare transparency | Clearly communicate night charges and ride-cancellation fees |
| Driver account suspensions | Prepare a standard operating procedure that follows principles of natural justice |
| Vehicle eligibility | Attach only vehicles meeting applicable commercial vehicle requirements |
| Airport parking | Coordinate with the Airport Authority to identify suitable parking areas for aggregator vehicles |
These requirements address both the customer experience and the working conditions of drivers. Passengers need clear information before confirming rides, while drivers need accessible channels to resolve payment, account and operational disputes.
The instructions also aim to improve how information is communicated. Increasing the display time for broadcast messages from two seconds to 10 seconds should give users more time to read important updates.
Fare Transparency and Cancellation Charges Under Scrutiny
Night charges and cancellation fees are among the issues the department has asked aggregators to review.
For passengers, unclear pricing can make it difficult to understand the final cost of a ride or why a particular fee has been applied. More accessible disclosures can help customers understand the terms before booking or cancelling a journey.
Drivers also have an interest in clear cancellation policies because cancelled trips can affect their time and earnings. However, the applicable charges and the circumstances in which they apply must be communicated transparently to both parties.
The department’s directions do not establish a new uniform fare or cancellation-fee schedule across all platforms. Instead, they require companies to improve clarity and comply with the applicable rules.
The issue is also part of a wider regulatory discussion around digital ride-hailing practices. In September 2026, the Central Consumer Protection Authority announced a ₹10 lakh penalty against Rapido over misleading tipping prompts and interface practices that it classified as dark patterns. The authority’s action was separate from Bihar’s October compliance review. Source: Press Information Bureau
Why Bihar Wants Local Offices and Better Driver Support
App-based transport platforms often manage bookings, payments and driver accounts through centralized digital systems. While these systems can make services easier to operate at scale, drivers may struggle to resolve problems when they cannot reach a support representative.
Bihar has asked companies to establish local offices and introduce call-support facilities for drivers. The objective is to improve access to assistance and make complaint resolution more responsive to local conditions.
The department has also directed companies to provide chatbots in Hindi and English. This could make service information easier to access for users who are more comfortable communicating in either language.
Another important requirement concerns the suspension of driver accounts. Companies must develop a standard operating procedure that follows the principles of natural justice. This is intended to establish a fairer process for decisions that can affect a driver’s ability to earn through the platform.
Commercial Vehicles and Airport Parking
The department has instructed aggregators to attach only vehicles that meet the applicable commercial vehicle requirements.
This requirement concerns compliance with vehicle eligibility and operating rules. It should not be interpreted as a blanket prohibition on every privately owned vehicle: the relevant question is whether a vehicle meets the legal requirements for the service it is being used to provide.
Companies have also been asked to coordinate with the Airport Authority to complete the process of identifying suitable parking areas for aggregator vehicles.
Designated parking can help organize pick-ups and drop-offs at airports, where vehicle congestion and unclear meeting points can create problems for passengers and drivers. The practical impact will depend on how the arrangements are implemented at individual locations.
Could Ride-Hailing Apps Also Expand Ambulance Services?
Alongside the compliance requirements, Bihar is exploring the possibility of expanding emergency ambulance services through app-based transport aggregators.
The department has asked companies to submit a report within one week on the proposed service. The initiative is intended to make emergency transportation more accessible through digital platforms.
However, the proposal remains at the planning stage in the available reporting. Details such as participating operators, service areas, vehicle requirements, pricing and implementation timelines have not been established publicly in the reports reviewed.
Ambulance services also involve requirements that differ substantially from ordinary cab bookings, including appropriate vehicles, trained personnel and coordination with emergency-care providers. Any expansion would need to account for these operational and safety considerations.
What Happens After the October 30 Deadline?
Ola and Uber have been directed to submit compliance reports by October 30, 2026. The department can then review the submissions and determine whether additional information, verification or enforcement action is necessary.
The warning about licence cancellation signals that the state is prepared to consider stronger action if companies do not follow the directions. It does not establish that cancellation is automatic on the deadline or that any company has already lost its licence.
The available reports do not establish the final outcome of the compliance process or provide detailed responses from the affected companies. Those developments will be important in determining whether the department considers the corrective measures sufficient.
Rapido and Sawari Mithila have also been directed to comply with the relevant requirements. The scope and timing of enforcement against each operator will depend on the applicable directions and the department’s assessment.
The Bigger Picture
Bihar’s action reflects the challenge of regulating digital transport platforms that connect passengers and drivers through technology while operating under transport and consumer-protection rules. Pricing disclosures, complaint handling, vehicle eligibility and fair account-management procedures remain important even when bookings are managed through an app.
The state is combining a defined compliance deadline with operational requirements intended to improve service quality. Whether the measures produce lasting improvements will depend on how the companies implement them and how consistently the department verifies compliance. The possibility of licence cancellation remains a warning about potential enforcement, not a confirmed outcome.
FAQs
1. Why has Bihar warned Ola, Uber and Rapido?
Bihar’s Transport Department wants app-based transport aggregators to improve fare transparency, passenger information, driver support and compliance with vehicle and operating requirements. Failure to follow the prescribed directions could lead to regulatory action, including licence cancellation.
2. What is the deadline for Ola and Uber?
Ola and Uber have been directed to submit compliance reports by October 30, 2026. The deadline is for reporting compliance; it does not mean their licences will automatically be cancelled on that date.
3. What changes are required from ride-hailing companies?
The requirements include local offices in Bihar, Hindi and English chatbots, call support for drivers, clearer night and cancellation charges, longer display times for broadcast messages, eligible commercial vehicles, fair driver-account suspension procedures and airport parking arrangements.
4. Will Ola, Uber or Rapido stop operating in Bihar?
The available reports do not confirm that any of the companies has lost its licence or will stop operating. Licence cancellation is a possible consequence of non-compliance, and the outcome depends on the department’s review and any subsequent enforcement action.
5. Will customers be able to book ambulances through these apps?
Bihar has asked aggregators to submit a report on expanding ambulance services through their platforms. The proposal is under consideration, and the available reporting does not confirm a launch date or final operating arrangements.
Looking Ahead
The immediate development to watch is whether Ola and Uber submit their compliance reports by October 30 and whether Bihar’s Transport Department accepts the measures described in them. Further directions, verification exercises or enforcement decisions could clarify how the requirements will be applied to the different operators.
For passengers and drivers, the practical test will be whether the changes lead to clearer charges, easier access to support and fairer handling of account disputes. For the companies, the deadline puts the focus on demonstrating compliance while continuing to operate their services under Bihar’s transport rules.
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